


Love is Evergreen

by SoaringWings



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Artistic Interpreation, Artistic Liberties, Blood, Dancing, F/M, Horror, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Vampires, Vampires are dead, and do not sparkle, new avengers team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-19 02:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 35,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4729502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoaringWings/pseuds/SoaringWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new Avengers team takes in an Enhanced- a vampire who's more dead than alive. And then they take in Loki. </p><p>Their definitions of 'monster' are different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this was my huge summer project that I began just as May started. I've tried something different, where I wrote everything first then edited later instead of writing a chapter and posting immediately it so I think this will be a cleaner cut work than anything I've ever done before. I'm very excited because this project has taken more dedication than I've ever needed since I had to motivate myself (I never got a comment or kudos throughout the entire process since I hadn't published anything). I've never considered myself a vampire fanatic but I have consumed quite a bit of literature and movies about them so I decided to offer up my own interpretation that fits into the marvel universe. 
> 
> These vampires are dead. They do not sparkle. 
> 
> They were people. Now they're monsters.

Rogers and Natasha crept through the Hydra stronghold. It was several yards underground, cool compared to the sweltering desert heat above. It was eerily quiet and dark as the generator had been knocked out. The battle outside still raged on but Wanda had said she felt a strange amount of deaths and lack of living people within before the Avengers even arrived, so they decided to investigate. She said that it felt like an Enhanced was inside and Steve really hoped she was wrong. Natasha hoped they could be reasoned with. 

One of their lights fell upon a foot. They stopped, aiming it farther down the corridor. Immobile, gory bodies lined it and they became more acutely aware of the smell. They exchanged a look. Steve edged forward, shield raised defensively while Natasha followed, gun at the ready. At the end of the hallway was a half-open door. On the other side, a quiet, sickening, sucking noise. The captain carefully nudged the door the rest of the way open.

The light revealed a kneeling figure beside another much more lifeless form. Well, probably lifeless, from the way it didn’t protest the gnawing at its neck. The figure flinched a moment too late; as if it was just now noticing their presence. Its head twisted upwards and regarded them. Long bedraggled hair framed its face and coal black eyes. It was incredibly pale and thin; its pastel skin only serving to make the circles under its eyes gaunter. Rivets of blood streamed down from the mouth.

It hissed suddenly, teeth flashing sharply, and lunged for them. Black Widow quickly fired off several shots. It recoiled, clutching at the wounds in its stomach and just above its heart, in the shoulder. It cried out in pain but rapidly returned to seething. It leapt towards them. The creature clawed at the shield, making Steve stagger back at the sheer force but swiftly smacked it across the face with the viburnum alloy. It fell away and hit the floor, hard. The sound made him wince. 

The creature curled in on itself, whimpering and growling. Natasha maneuvered around it, quickly taking in the surroundings. Several bodies, tipped over tables, broken computers. The figure, a woman as she could now see, wore ripped jeans and a bloodstained tank. The fluid flowing from her bleeding wounds slowed, enough to be noticeable. She groaned in pain and stilled, but her chest continued to rise and fall.

“We’ve found the Enhanced.” Steve said to his com. He kept himself braced for another attack.

“And it’s a vampire.” Noted Natasha. “We need a containment.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second part of my first update. My plan is to update every Monday and Friday, hopefully in the morning if I can manage it.

The team stared through the one way mirror at the vampire. She hadn’t stirred in the center of the empty containment room, despite the reassurance from the medical team that she didn’t have a concussion. Wanda was the most apprehensive.

“I see bloodlust.” She explained. “Some of her mind is normal, some corrupted, and with some I just see this hunger. It is too unpleasant to look through.” She was however, able to provide them with a name.

“Vivian Verbeck.” Sam read from a tablet. “Age twenty six. Orphaned at childbirth when her mother died in labor. They didn’t know who the father was. She was raised by her grandmother, who died her sophomore year of college. Went missing that year, too. Was at the top of her class in high school and made the dean’s list. It looks like she doesn’t have any other family.”

“That makes her perfect to kidnap and experiment on.” Natasha noted dutifully.

“Why did they think making a vampire was a good idea?” Asked Rodney, more to himself than anything. “I mean, come on. That sounds like a bad idea.”

In the small white room, the subject of their conversation moaned, limbs shifting. She quickly covered her cracked eyelids; the light was harsh to her sensitive retinas. The girl hissed and rolled over, burying her head in her hands. After a few moments she lifted herself to her hands and knees, not unlike a cat. She stretched like one too, and carefully looked around the room. She stared at the glass for several seconds before turning her attention to the bandages on her wounds.

“She is quite odd.” Said Vision, fascinated. “Her movements aren’t exactly human.”

“She’s not exactly scared, but she is wary.” Added Wanda.

Vivian pulled off the adhesive strips. The areas were completely healed; if still raw. She rubbed her fingers across her skin, as if checking to see if the bullets were still there. Finding they weren’t, she sighed softy. Her eyes passed carelessly over the bands around her wrists; as if they were a normal thing. She watched the glass for several minutes. So long that Steve began to wonder if she could see through them. But her brows furrowed and she gave up. She rolled over so her back was to them and, using her arm as a pillow, closed her eyes.

Rodney shot the captain a curious look. “So….now what?”

Steve glanced over at him. “I guess we talk.”

“And how does one begin a conversation with a vampire?”

“Like this.” Natasha put a hand on the intercom. “Welcome to Shield, Miss Verbeck. I hope you’re enjoying your stay.”

Vivian twisted her head upwards. “It’s…nicer than Hydra.” She responded cautiously.

“What was it like there?”

She shrugged. “How one would expect. I didn’t care for it. You don’t come out the way you come in.” Her head fell back to the floor.

Steve and Natasha exchanged a look. “If we come in there, can we trust you?”

“I have no reason to hurt you.”

The Steve and Sam left the room. Turning down the hallway, they reached the room where she was being held. After assurance from Wanda that she wasn’t about to do anything, they entered. Vivian, still laying on the floor, watched them carefully. Her skin was more translucent and her eyes were hollower up close. The blood stains on her shirt wasn’t exactly conspicuous, either.

“Steve Rogers.” He introduced himself. “This is Sam Wilson. Nice to meet you.”

Slowly, she sat up. It was hard to miss the power in the movement. “I’m sorry for attacking you. I wasn’t myself.” She stood and ignored his outstretched hand waiting for a handshake.

“We want to ask you a few questions. You’ll want to step back.” Sam gestured meaningfully to the circle she had previously been laying on. Vivian stepped backwards. It opened up and a table with three chairs, two on one side, rose up. “Why don’t you take a seat?” She did so, slouching down in her chair. They sat too. “Miss Verbeck…” He began.

“Vivian.” She corrected. “No Miss or anything.”

“Vivian. Tell us what happened to you. From the beginning.”

“That’s a long story.” She shrugged. Her eyelids drooped down in an unreasonably bored way that the situation didn’t call for. “And it’s not a happy one.” She thought for a moment. “I was walking back to my dorm and this car came screeching down the street and I was shoved into it. Kidnapped. The rest is hazier, but I know they took me to their base. They knew my name and everything. All my records and family history. After a few months they decided to try this injection on me. I remember… my heart stopped.”

Her stoicism was unnerving. “What…else happened?” Asked Steve.

“Well,” She licked her lips and opened her jaws. They saw her fangs extend, perfect points. “This. And now,” She added, as if an afterthought. “I feel… dead.”

“Are there…others like you?”

“Yeah. Were, actually. For the record, they attacked me first.” She shrugged again. “They underestimated how much blood we needed then.”

Sam let out a breath, shaking his head and looking away.

She rambled on. “It’s weird; I know things like how I should act and what I should feel and I remember how I was before. I liked that me. Now I’m just hungry. But when I’m hungry, I actually feel alive. Well, more so than usual.” Her half lidded, dull eyes made her point. “And then I lose control and do things I would never do before.”

“We’ve got a whole bunch of brilliant scientists here. Maybe they could find a cure.” Steve suggested.

“It’s a nice thought…” Her eyes finally looked down. “I appreciate all you’ve all done for me. It’s been a while since I’ve been shown kindness.”

Sam stood. “From what we’ve gathered, I can safely say that your actions were far beyond your control. Let’s see about getting you some better arrangements.”

“Already on it.” The door swung open to reveal Natasha. “Wand and I will get her some clothes and a place to sleep.” She smiled gently at Vivian. “Hi, I’m Natasha. This is Wanda.” She pointed to where Wanda was standing just out of the doorway.

Vivian blinked. “Okay. Oh, um, I’m sorry for attacking you earlier. I wasn’t myself.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.” She gestured her over. She stood, following her out. She was lead to a supply room, clothes of all sizes and types lined it. Vivian stood there, looking at them blankly. Nat started taking clothes off hangers, and held them up to her, trying to guess at her sizes. If Vivian noticed the way Wanda eyed her, she said nothing.

They picked out a few shirts and pairs of pants for her, and some underwear and socks. They managed to get her to try on a pair of lace up combat boots, which fit. “Pick something you like.” Wanda eventually prompted. Her fears were fading fast; the vampire was becoming less and less frightening to her.

She selected two loose tanks, and a navy jacket with a drawstring waist. Folding everything into a duffle bag, they took her to her new room. “These are the apartments.” Explained Natasha. “Everyone who lives on base lives here. This is the Avenger’s wing; we all share a common room.” She pointed it out.

“You are showing me too much trust.”

“Not too much.” Natasha assured. “Those bands can shock you if something goes wrong and there’s a strategic reason you’re staying near the best fighters. We’ve looked through your profile, both your old one and Hydra’s. Your behavior and records shows that you’re not about to attack us, not when you’re not hungry.” _Or angry._ Nat cursed herself for inadvertently reminding herself of Bruce. But it wasn’t that much different really. Neither of them meant to be the way they were.

The vampire glanced down at the metal bands. “I’d keep these one me.”

She ignored that statement. “Speaking of food…” She trailed off meaningfully.

Her brows furrowed slightly. “I… don’t know. They fed me a bag a day, sometimes less. They kept me hungry. But I know the more I eat, the more normal I feel.”

Wanda narrowed her glowing eyes at her. “Three pints a day. She’s the most normal after one pint, but it only last as long as one meal to us does.” The vampire tensed, taking a step back. “I’m Enhanced too; I’m telekinetic and can manipulate and read minds.”

She grimaced. “Please don’t.”

“I can’t exactly _read_ , read minds.” She elaborated, noticing her discomfort. “But I can look though memories, ideas, and emotions. I don’t use it all the time though, so you don’t have to worry.”

The side of her lip twitched upward, a sad attempt at a half smile. “That’s handy.” She clenched her new duffle closer to her side. “Thank you for helping me. I’m going to get settled in now.” They let Vivian quickly slip into the room, sensing that she needed time to herself.

She found a bed opposite of the door, pushed up against the wall. At the foot of it was a desk with a small laptop and chair, leaving a small gap of space. Beside it was an armoire. Next to the door was a shelf, and a smaller door she assumed led to the bathroom. Each wall couldn’t have been longer than twelve feet.

Setting the bag down, she tossed out a tank top and thin pair of sweat pants. She took a quick shower and slipped her new clothes on. She sighed, running her hands over the freshly clean fabric. She had forgotten how nice new clothes were. A wave of fatigue fell over her, and she glanced at the time. Eleven p.m. Vivian looked around some more, but found nothing more interesting than a few toiletries and a blanket. Taking the latter with her, she turned off the lights, curled up under her covers, and slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

“Get up!” Wanda knocked loudly at Vivian’s door. Her accent became more prevalent when she shouted. “I know you’re awake! Make yourself decent, I’m coming in.” A band of light fell directly onto Vivian’s eyes. The girl actually _hissed_ and buried herself further into the blankets. Wanda rolled her eyes.

“I am _nocturnal_.” She muttered in response. The vampire suddenly squealed, writhing in pain. “ _My eyes_!”

“It’s ten in the morning.” Wanda pulled her finger away from the light switch. She didn’t miss the way Rodney tiptoed past, curious and completely terrified of the new comer. She put a hand on her hip. “I have food.”

Vivian stopped squirming, squinting from under her covers.

“First, you have to get up. It’s in the common room.”

She slumped down. “Please, I’d rather not. Blood drinking isn’t something people want to witness in the morning.”

The witch considered this for a moment. “I was supposed to get to socialize, but eating takes priority.” A red bag and cup floated in and landed on her desk.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Apparently, it’s synthetic. They want to see if it could be a substitute for real blood.” Vivian nodded. “They also want to do some tests on you as soon as possible, to see if they could find a cure. Would you be interested?” Her nod was slightly more invigorated this time. “Alright, I’ll tell them.”

After she left, Vivian rose and shut the light off, leaving her in the blissful darkness. She got dressed and after running a brush through her hair, sat cross legged in her desk chair. Her fangs extended fully with hungry anticipation. Smiling softly to herself, she bent down and sniffed the bag. Forgoing the purpose of the cup, she pinched the plastic and bit down.

She grimaced at the taste. It was horrifically artificial and no warmer than room temperature. Licking the liquid from her lips, she braced herself, and began to suck again, more tentative. She gagged. Tiny blots dripped onto the desk. Shuttering, she steeled herself again. She knew she had to be grateful, she knew this had all the nutrients she needed. She had to do this. But it was _awful_. But if she didn’t, she would revert back to that monstrous state. That wasn’t a way to pay back their excessive kindness.

Vivian drained the bag. Her stomach protested and she retched a few times, but it stayed down. There was another knock at the door. “Come in.”

Natasha poked her head in, the light from the hallway streaming in and falling on Vivian. Deciding to ignore the red stains on the corners of her mouth and the fact that she had been sitting in the dark and, she asked “Are you ready?” The vampire nodded, and stood. “Good.”

Vivian trailed after her; Natasha slowed to match her pace. She attempted to make conversation, but the vampire’s blank stares discouraged all attempts, so they walked in silence. Walking through one of the outdoor walkways, Vision spotted them and floated down. The fact that Vivian had never met him crossed her mind, but it was too late now for a slow introduction. The younger woman flinched back and braced herself against the wall. Nat could practically see what she was thinking: fight or flight?

The automaton man blinked. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She stared at him for a few more seconds. The curve of her spine and suddenly sharp eyes made her seem more animalistic. She was the Vivian Natasha had first encountered. Her nose twitched. “You smell weird.”

This brought a small smile to his lips. “I suppose I do. I am Vision.”

“Nice to meet you.” She relaxed from her current position and took a more normal stance. In the day light she looked even paler. Her dark hair and black eyes didn’t help. She looked like she was walking a straight line away from the land of the living.

“We’ve got to get going. We’ll talk to you later.” Natasha patted Vision’s arm and continued on her way. Vivian shuffled after. They eventually arrived at Dr. Cho’s office. The doctor and her nurses were already there, eagerly waiting. They quickly got her onto a table and began studying her. They pushed her onto her back, Dr. Cho using rapid fire Korean to direct them. Vivian watched passively as a full body scanner attached to the table passed over her.

“You don’t have to stay.” Dr. Cho told her, but Natasha caught the way Vivian’s eyes furrowed and decided to do so anyway.

They did everything; they took molds of her teeth, samples of blood and hair, and put her through reflex and breathing tests. They looked at her bone and body structure, into her ears, eyes, and throat, scanned her brain, and determined her BMI. The doctor went so far as to make her do several written mental and emotional tests and questionnaires. But as compliant as she was to everything else, she hissed when asked to remove her clothes for a closer examination. She wasn’t asked again.

They directly asked her questions about how her body worked. This included queries of what was different now and what she was or wasn’t able to do. She answered in a sort of detached way, sometimes unnervingly vague and generally unhelpful, but the assistants wrote it all down, omitting nothing. It took a long time even with all of her technology and instruments, but they finally reached the end after almost three hours.

“Are you hungry?” Dr. Cho asked. Something dark and mixed with pleading crossed her patient’s eyes. Vivian nodded. “You said the synthetic blood didn’t work, right?”

“No.” She shook her head, face scrunching miserably. “It didn’t taste right. It just wasn’t… right. I could hardly stomach it.”

She said something in Korean to a nurse, who scampered off. “Well, we’ve got some real blood available. You eat three pints a day, right? We should have enough we can spare for several days. I’ll get Shield to acquire a regular supply. We can always resort to donors if we get desperate.”

Vivian’s eyes went large and doe-like, the most human they’ve ever been. “Thank you.” She whispered. When the nurse came it, she turned those big eyes back on Helen. “Would it be possible for it to be heated?” Several minutes later, Vivian leaned over a stainless steel table, over a bowl, with a hungry gleam in her eye. Dr. Cho took notes while the vampire bit into the bag and drained it. One of the nurses had to leave; the sight of her licking the blood off her fingers was not a sight for the weak of stomach. Even Natasha grimaced and looked away.

After all those tests, Vivian was tired and retreated to her room, not without a reminder from Nat that she wasn’t a prisoner and that she could roam around freely. She first put away her clothes, a task she had neglected to do last night, and curled up in her bed with the laptop.

She plugged in headphones she had found in the desk and began searching through old internet accounts she had from her life before. She found one site in particular and looked through it for hours. She was still going through it when there was a knock at her door. Again. Sighing, she shut the lid and called them in.

She shouldn’t have been dwelling on the past anyway. Those times were gone. Those memories belonged to another person. One who actually had and expressed emotions. One who wasn’t apathetic. One who cared. One who didn’t drink blood and _like_ it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll see Loki next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Vivian perched on the railing, watching the cadets below. They were training with the Avengers; today was hand to hand combat. Wanda was also there, to receive more formal training. Nat and Steve were working one on one while the cadets spared with each other. Rodney was overseeing the fighting ring; recording their performances. Her mind was wandering so she barely noticed when Vision floated down next to her.

“Hello.”

“Hi.” She didn’t turn her head to face him. Neither said another word. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes. “What are you?”

“That is…a complicated explanation.” He smiled at her. “I am…” He looked up in thought. “I am. It is difficult to explain one’s own existence.” She glanced down. “It began with Ultron, the renegade robot created by Tony Stark.” He quickly dove into a short explanation.

He was building on knowledge she already had. Though she had been living under a rock for the past several years (both literally and metaphorically), she had gathered scraps of news from loose-lipped guards so she already knew most of the story. When she had first realized who they were, the fact that they had defeated Ultron hadn’t escaped her.

He continued. “…and I was brought to life by a blast of lightning from Thor. Do you know who he is?”

“Yes.” Wanda had explained to her the absence of the missing member. “That’s very complicated.”

“Indeed, it is. And that was the short of it.”

“Wanda told me Thor went to ask about the Infinity Stones. Is that what that is?” She pointed to his forehead. He went on to explain what the stone was, Loki’s use of the gem during the battle of New York, and Thanos apparent involvement. Vivian listened intently.

After the better part of half an hour, he finally asked her a question. “How about you?” She blinked, nose scrunching. “What are you?”

“Oh.” She remembered what she had said that had started this conversation. “Well, a vampire.”

“That’s a simple way to put one’s existence into terms.”

“Bloodsucker sums it up pretty well.”

“But it is not your _story_. What is your story?”

“My story? Like, who I was before?” Her brow wrinkled. “It’s strange. I remember it, I know it. Who I was, what I was like, what happened to me. Now there’s this new me with two different sides. Hunger and apathy.”

He thought for a moment. “I think there is more to it than that. You say you don’t care, yet you still hang on to those memories. Perhaps hope shouldn’t be given up just yet.”

She sighed. “Perhaps.”

The sounds below stopped so suddenly it immediately grabbed their attention. All movement had ceased and everyone was staring out of the large open door. Vivian squinted, now aware of the brighter light trickling in through the windows, flashing. The Avengers suddenly took off. Seeing this, Vision stood.

“That would be Thor. Would you like to meet him? I can carry you.”

“I think I’ll walk.” He took off. She climbed down the stairs, taking her time. The students gave her odd looks as she tread past, but she barely noticed. It was no secret that a vampire was staying at Shield, but many non-combatants thought it was just a rumor. However, one look at her made even the firm disbelievers waver.

Out in the bright light (so bright it made her want to hiss), the Avengers stood around a circle with intricate designs. Foreign and ancient ones. In the middle was a luminous blonde man (also so bright it made her want to hiss) standing with a firm grip on a thick headed hammer. He wore some kind of armor, albeit without sleeves and an addition of a long flowing red cape (that kind of made her hungry). He smiled at his friends (radiantly). She hissed low in the back of her throat.

The sound startled Rodney, always wary and slightly terrified of her. His head whipped around, trying to determine if she had finally snapped and gone into full blown vampire mode. He saw instead Vivian standing beside him, obliviously awkward and eerie, squinting at the harsh light. She slouched to hide in his shadow, her skin becoming even more freakishly white. Her nose twitched in a sniff. He realized that she was picking up Thor’s _scent_. He tried not to dwell on it.

This strange creature of light was slightly intriguing to her. She knew who he was and she heard a few stories but he had commanded this god-like presence that didn’t have to do with his size. Maybe it was the fact he was a demi-god. He smelled weird too; this personally unique nonhuman scent Wanda, Steve, and Vision all had. It was otherworldly. Sunshine incarnate eye’s fell on her. He smiled.

“Don’t tell me we have yet another addition to the team!”

“Uh,” Steve didn’t think she looked like she was in any sort physical condition to be on an elite team of fighters, but she definitely looked mysterious enough. “This is Vivian, our new Enhanced resident.”

“Ah!” He beamed. “That is wonderful! You must be a fine warrior indeed.” A ghost of a smile played on her lips, but quickly disappeared. No one corrected him then, but they would inform him later. “I come with bad news. But not of the infinity stones, but of my brother. We thought him dead, yet he is alive.”

“You said he was stabbed straight through the _chest_.” Sam pointed out. “People don’t live through that.”

“They do if they weren’t really stabbed. He is a master of illusions.”

“The literal god of mischief, lies, and illusions,” Wanda said, sarcastic. “Died in front of you and you left the body, and you expected it to stay dead? Has this happened more than once?”

Thor frowned. “…he is the _master_ of illusions. We have yet to discover more about the infinity stones, but we know that Loki used the Bifrost to find refuge here on Earth from Thanos, who seems to have a keen eye on the stones.”

“Wait.” Rodney voiced, concerned. “We have a fugitive here on Earth, on the run from a Titan who destroys worlds?”

“Yes. But even Thanos has better things to do than to track down a failed commander. True, he will be looking for Loki, but not actively when he has far more important things to deal with. However, we need to bring him back to prison to carry out his sentence.”

“Then it is a relatively simple matter. We search for him.” Replied Vision. Everyone considered his words. He was right.

“New priority then. Capture Loki and hand him over to Asgard.” That problem all wrapped up in a tidy bow, Natasha jerked her head back. “We’d better get back to the Cadets before they get too soft.”

~~~

Vivian plopped down at the table, letting her head sink to the concrete surface. Wanda set her bags next to hers, also sitting down at the rounded table where the rest of the Avengers were talking. All except Vision, who generally chose not to go out in public due to the fact that he freaked people out. Though apparently the same logic didn’t apply to the resident vampire. Her newly bought sunglasses smooshed against her face, so she endeavored to take them off and face the afternoon sun.

“What did you guys buy?” Asked Natasha. On Shield’s credit, they had gone on a shopping spree. Mostly because the two of them didn’t own many personal items, and partially because Dr. Cho wanted to do a psychiatric evaluation involving seeing what Vivian would gravitate towards. Not that Vivian seemed to really care about material possessions.

“A few shirts.” Wanda responded. “Jeans. I got myself two dresses and some jewelry. Vivian got those sunglasses,” She glanced down at Viv, busy fiddling with her metal bands. “A few books, and sunscreen.” Reminded, Vivian reached into her bag and pulled out said sunscreen and something else. “I also managed to get her a blouse. Sleeveless.” It was hardly worth noting since Vivian rarely wore clothes with sleeves.

“That’s not all.” The young woman placed the bottle and a tiny box on the table. “I got a music box.”

Thor was immediately interested. “What does it play?”

“Over the Rainbow.” She demonstrated, turning the tiny hand crank. It was the kind with the clear casing that let you see the gears moving within. It played the short tune, no longer twenty seconds. It wasn’t the best quality; the notes were a little harsh and unforgiving as they were plucked a tad bit too hard, but it brought a grin of pure joy to her face. Something they’ve never seen before.

“Did you grow up with those?” Prompted Sam, recognizing that look.

“Yean, my Nan had a collection. When I was little, we used to listen to them together before I went to bed. She must’ve stored them somewhere after I went to college because she didn’t have them on display whenever I visited. I asked her about it before she passed away, but she was too far gone to tell me.” Her fingers ran carefully over the box. She grabbed the sunscreen, and started applying it.

Sam opened his mouth, before thinking better of it. That had been the most she had ever said about her life before, and he didn’t want to push her. “Thor, you were saying something about Loki?”

“Ah, yes. He is a sorcerer…” Thor continued on. Rodney tried not to stare as Vivian pivoted around and began applying it to her ankles. It seemed excessive since she was wearing long pants, but he wasn’t about to say that to her. She _was_ a vampire and her skin had been tinting a raw looking shade.

Someone rushed by them so fast, a slight gust of air blew over her. Their scent was so strange, she glanced up. Her haunting gaze met the hard eyes of a scruffy looking man with a baseball cap. He quickly looked away and continued walking. Vivian straitened, watched him go, and leaned over to her right to sniff Steve.

His brow furrowed but that didn’t seem to bother her. “That guy smells just like you. Not exactly, but in the way how the serum makes you smell different.”

“The serum?” Steve’s head whipped around, scanning the area.

“There’s a man wearing one glove on his left hand.” Nat helpfully supplied.

“Bucky.” He said, firmly but in obvious shock. He swung his legs out from under the table.

“Bucky?” Asked Wanda, skeptical.

“Old brainwashed friend of Cap’s. Let’s go.” Sam and Natasha had already stood up. “I’d get that hammer and that suit.” He advised Rodney and Thor.

As if an afterthought, Steve dragged Vivian up by the arm. She scowled and audibly wined, not unlike a dog. “What do you need _me_ for?”

“Ever heard of a bloodhound?” Her eyebrow shot up, but she didn’t complain again. The team dispersed, taking alternate routes. Steve kept Vivian next to him. They couldn’t see Bucky ahead of him anymore and he was beginning to think that there had been no point in dragging her along with them, before Vivian narrowed her eyes and pushed ahead. They reached an intersection of the city. People were all around; there was no way to pick out a single man from the large crowd.

They paused, Vivian standing on the street corner with her nose in the air. Sam and Natasha stood across the street, looking around too. She suddenly turned and squeezed down an alley. It was barely wide enough for him, let alone her. Her head whipped around wildly, eyes sharper than he’d seen them in a long time. She led him down into a slightly wider alley with a fire escape. The ladder was down.

“Good job.” He patted her on the shoulder, beginning to climb it. She followed several steps behind him. When they reached the top of the stairs and the only way to get onto the roof was to haul themselves over the edge, Steve asked her, “You think you can handle this?” She nodded. He stepped onto the railing and jumped, climbing onto the roof. Vivian launched off the metal too, missing the edge by a few inches. Captain grabbed her hand and pulled her up the rest of the way. Undeterred, she kept pace with him as they hurried across. Granted, he wasn’t running as fast as he usually did.

Running a few blocks with Sam and Natasha’s eyes on them from down below, they went several blocks until they reached a broken sunroof of an old warehouse. Vivian dropped to all fours, nose passing over the shattered glass. Steve tried not to stare. Her eyes flashed. “He’s in here.” He motioned to his friends down below and they slipped inside.

“Now, I know what you can do.” He whispered. “But I prefer you to not get involved.” She didn’t protest or question why. The turned the corner and found his team, minus Rodney, facing Bucky. His breathing caught, but he managed to motion to her to stay there. As he walked over, Nat nudged Thor and told him to set his hammer down, which he did.

His old friend maintained his standoffish position, shoulders slightly hunched. His eyes were wide and wild, but he was looking a lot better than the last he had seen him. While he still had one hell of a beard, his hair was trimmed. Instead of his Winter Solider attire, he wore a thick dark green jacket. Though scruffy and worn, he passed as an average man. Save for the one glove he wore on his left arm.

“Let’s not pretend.” He began. “We both know I didn’t wash up on that shore.”

Bucky opened his mouth a bit. “I…knew you.”

“Yeah,” He replied carefully. “You’ve known me your whole life. I’ve been with you.” He looked him straight in the eye. “Straight till the end of the line.”

A pause. “…Steve?”

His shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, Bucky?”

Natasha put a hand to her com. “Abort, we’re all good here.”

“Aw, but I just got here. Fi-” Rodney stopped, cutting himself off. “Is anyone else in there?”

“ _What_?” Everyone was looking at the assassin now, Bucky looking slightly alarmed. “Someone else?” Vivian was instantly alert, sticking her nose in the air. Yes, there was someone else. The scent was like Thor’s, but a little piney. It was weird and different like his, but the pheromones distinct. The smell was all over the warehouse, so much so that she couldn’t tell it was a person’s. There was a thud outside as War Machine landed. His shadow fell in through the warehouse.

He abruptly swung his hand up, aiming in Vivian’s direction. She blinked, thinking he was pointing his gun at her. The thought was dismissed as she was grabbed and yanked backwards. A strong arm wrapped tightly around her throat, cutting off her air. A knife appeared just under her chin. She was pressed tightly to someone’s flat chest like a shield.

“One step and I slice her throat.” He snarled, voice low and rich.

“ _Loki_.” Thor said it as if it was an accusation.

“ _Thor_.” She could feel his vocal chords vibrate, his breath in her ear. Her hands reached up to pull his arm away, nails digging into the fabric of his shirt. She actually growled in warning, making Loki glance down for half a second. “Wish I could stay and chat, but I really don’t want to impose on this touching reunion. You’ll get this back if-”

Vivian sunk her teeth into his arm, making him gasp in pain. The knife clipped her chin, but she used her monstrous strength to hold it back. He released her, but she kept her jaw clamped down. She whirled and threw him to the floor, pinning him down. Precious blood welled up in her mouth as she held him there. He struggled, bringing the knife down to stab her. Rodney blasted it out of his hand.

“Viv, get up!” He ordered, half scared that she wouldn’t, but she did. In one swift movement she stood and stepped away, hissing. Sharp black eyes, and sharper teeth stained with blood made her absolutely terrifying. Red ran down her mouth and gushed from her chin; it was a stark contrast to her translucent skin. She kept her teeth bared, seething like an animal. Her chest rose and fell, heaving.

Loki’s gaze was locked on her, his chest rising and falling just as fast. “Interesting pet.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Could you stop that for one second?!” Rodney snapped. Vivian glanced up and he immediately regretted it. You don’t just tell a vampire to stop licking the blood from under their fingernails. She did, however, stop and lower her hands. Her jaw flexed uncomfortably due to the adhesive bandage that would soon be pointless in a few hours.

Steve, after shooting her a careful look, continued speaking. “If everything checks out okay and if Wanda determines if he’s stable enough, Bucky’s staying here in one of the rooms, under surveillance.” No one could argue with him. “Then she’s going to Loki’s interrogation, and Fury wants all of us who were there to go too for a debriefing. Well except for…”

Vivian nodded, scrunching her nose. “Don’t worry about it.” Interrogations didn’t sound particularly fun.

“You and Vision _can_ do one thing for me. Can you help him get settled?”

“Is that such a good idea?” Asked Vision. “We are, as you might say, a bit frightening.”

The vampire shrugged, returning her attention back to her fingernails. Blood straight from the source always tasted the best to her, and Loki’s blood was especially delicious in its exoticness. Not that she would tell them that; it would definitely creep them out. “Maybe knowing he’s not the only weird one would help him adjust.”

“Like acclimating?” Vivian bobbed her head to Vision, sharp tooth digging deep under the nail, all blood residue officially gone but continuing, so she could hold on to the memory of the taste.

Steve lifted his hand to his com. “I’m counting on you.” He walked out, followed by the rest of his team.

Natasha briefly patted her on the back. “Go easy on him.” She whispered. “You scare him.”

Now that they were gone, she sunk lower into the couch cushion, clutching a pillow to her chest. Vision took a seat next to her, turning on the television. He and her had one thing in common; they loved nature documentaries but for different reasons. She liked seeing other beings on this Earth get want they instinctually desired and he got to observe what he called ‘fascinating behavior’. It was a win-win situation.

Ten minutes later a disheveled Bucky wandered in, looking very confused. He stopped and stared when he saw Vision. The robot man stood, smiling. “Hello, I am Vison. You’ve met Vivian already, correct?” The other man said nothing. “Here, let me show you to your room.” A few minutes later the two reappeared.

Vison retook his seat and Bucky awkwardly sat in a chair, social conventions forcing him out into the open. Out of the corner of her eye, Vivian could see him catch quick glances at her. “Hydra.” She explained. He frowned deeper, staring at his shoes. “It’s better here.” She promised. “Much. They respect you.”

He glanced meaningfully at her bands. She shrugged. “The way I see it, it’s insurance that I won’t lose control and kill someone. It’s the only thing they’ve ever asked of me. I can relax knowing I won’t go on a killing spree next time I get hungry.”

“They’ve gotten good at creating killers.” He murmured.

Her face scrunched up. “They take everything, don’t they?”

He lolled his head back to the chair. His voice was still quiet. “Memories, emotions. Until you don’t care and you’re…” He trailed off, trying to remember the word.

“Empty?”

“Yeah.”

Vision looked back and forth between them. “I wouldn’t call you the two of you hopeless.

~~~

This was hopeless.

Apparently Loki was ridiculously resistant to Wanda’s powers, despite his weakened state. He glared at her over his muzzle, hands in fists in his cuffs. It was decided that he was safest when he wasn’t talking. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she stood. This had gone on long enough. She reached up and brushed his forehead; he jerked back in indignation. But he was chained to the table and he didn’t get far. Her eyes gleamed a fearsome red as she leaned in closer.

Her hand hovered across his hairline for several long minutes, as she fought her way in by force instead of sneaking past his defenses. Tired and weakened under the effects of the Asgardian restraints, his mental barriers collapsed and Wanda saw everything inside, even what he had hidden from himself.

Her hand whipped back like he was a hot stovetop. She collapsed into the chair, heaving. Loki’s eyes went wide and he also slumped back, breathing just as heavily. He pulled his arms close to his chest; in obvious pain. He shuttered in the agony he was trying to hide. Out from behind her hands, Wanda fixed him with a surprised look.

“You have been tortured.” His face said it all.

_You think I don’t know that?_

Back in the side room Wanda tried to relate what she saw, made all the more difficult by what she _had_ seen. “He was…” She shook her head, shuttering. “Torture is too light of a word.”

“Calm down.” Natasha soothed, running a hand down her arm in a light hug.

“It was _anguish_. But it wasn’t just his time with Thanos, it was the mind control itself. To be imprisoned like that, in complete disgrace and humiliation-”

“ _Mind control_?” Natasha’s head raced, remembering Clint’s own experience.

“Yes…” Wanda looked at her questioningly. “He was under the effects of the mind gem.”

Steve looked slightly skeptical. “Someone made him do all that?”

Wanda thought for a moment. “Not... everything per say. The attack on New York, yes. Trying to take over the throne of Asgard, no.” She frowned. “Though I can’t exactly say he felt guilty for either.”

“Was he truly not in control of his actions?” Thor asked, voice more quiet than usual.

“He wasn’t. I’m certain of that, as much as he refuses to admit it.” Wanda wrapped her arms around herself. “Really, he should have gotten help long ago.”

Thor glanced down, regretful of factors he couldn’t have controlled. “We do not have those kind of healers on Asgard.”

Rodney glanced around the room. “Are we sure this isn’t a trick of his? It’s not that I don’t believe you-”

“He _is_ a trickster.” Wanda interrupted, though not harshly. “But it is not as if we ourselves are saints. We’ve all manipulated others before, too.” Her unspoken words were understood: _I’ve certainly have_. “But even though he himself is a master of it and has committed far more heinous crimes, nothing compares to the feeling of complete compliance, obeying when the real you is trapped…” She shook her head. “What he had felt. I don’t trust the bastard for one second. Whether or not he deserved it is up for debate since he is in complete honesty, a total asshole. But I know he was not in control of himself or his actions.”

The witch bent over, making tiny circles at her temples. “The reason he was so close to the base was to hide from Thanos and his other enemies.”

Thor sucked in a breath, looking over through the one way glass at his recovering brother, already concealing the pain. “I can’t take him to Asgard again. He won’t get the proper justice now, especially since he hasn’t in the first place.”

Sam finally spoke up. “He’s got to get help. That’s some sort of mental disorder in the works if I’ve ever seen one.”

Steve watched Loki too, through the glass. “You guys might not like what I have in mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Vivian interaction next chapter, I promise!


	6. Chapter 6

The last thing they expected to see walking into the common room was the three of them playing a game of Monopoly. Bucky was crouched over the game board, deciphering his next move. Vison waited patiently at the other end of the table, while Vivian was perched cross legged on the couch, sipping from the cap of a half empty blood bag. Their general contentment was oddly peaceful. It was a shame it would have to be disturbed. Bucky looked slightly sheepish, as if he had been caught doing something embarrassing. Not that Monopoly was strange or anything, but it _was_ shockingly mundane.

“Vision’s winning,” Vivian said, as if that was the answer everyone wanted to know. “And Bucky’s losing. I’ve already lost so I’m the banker.” Sure enough, the tray of play money was laid out in front of her. “Don’t play Monopoly against a robot.” She sipped her blood. Steve remembered playing that game with Bucky as a kid. Bucky had never been very good, and evidently hadn’t gotten better with age.

The team tried not to stare at Vivian; other than the time Natasha had gone with her for the physical evaluation, none of them had actually seen her drink blood. Biting Loki and licking the substance off her fingers was different somehow. Lapping away the sticky liquid like cheese puff dust was distinct from self-defense.

“What did you learn?” Asked Vision, at full attention.

“Long story.” Said Cap, moving his jaw in a way everyone was familiar with. His signature thinking face.

“Short story is that Loki was under the mind control effects of that gem.” Sam pointed at the stone on Vision’s forehead. “So he’s technically not responsible for the attack on New York.”

Bucky’s eyes briefly flicked in worry. “That function only worked in a scepter he used.” Vision assured. “It can’t now.”

“He is still a demented, manipulative, power hungry trickster god of mischief who feels no remorse for his actions.” Wanda said, frank.

“And…” Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s staying here. With us.”

Something flashed in Vivian’s eyes. “ _What_?”

“He’s my brother.” Thor sighed as if it was his own fault. “He has committed horrible crimes before, but he was tortured for months by Thanos. I think that, and being wrongfully imprisoned for months, equates to a second chance; to at least have the opportunity to recover and repent. If only he weren’t so prideful…” He said that last part mostly to himself.

Steve spoke. “Isolating him in an institution or prison won’t work. Fury isn’t crazy about it either, but he agrees that this is probably the best option. He needs a social environment and a show of trust.”

“Not too much though, right?” Rodney said, but no one answered. He wasn’t against the two boarders, he believed that it really _was_ best that they stayed with the Avengers, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a little intimidated by at least one of them (Vivian). The god of mischief however, made him somewhat more apprehensive at the prospect.

Natasha eyed Vivian, who was chugging down the bag with a new passion, long fangs protruding. “Are you okay with it?”

She gulped down the last drop. She stared down into her lap, eyes still strangely hard. “You were all kind enough to let Bucky and I stay here. There’s no reason to be selfish and not extend that kindness further. I don’t like him, but I’m not going to be against it if you all aren’t.”

“You don’t have to be afraid of him.” Nat promised. “We won’t let him hurt you.”

Her gaze swept over to where the team was standing. “ _That’s_ not what I’m worried about.” She slouched, her sign that she didn’t want to talk anymore.

“Guys.” Rodney signaled from his place at the threshold. Loki appeared, several Shield agents quickly retreating. Even disheveled and exhausted, he was a sight to behold in his gold and green glory. His eyes surveyed the room, cold and calculating. He gave each person a special glare intended just for them, and let his eyes fall on Vision, or particularly, the stone in his head. He obviously recognized it but asked no questions.

“That is Vision.” Said Thor. “And that-”

“I have no need to learn these mortal’s names.” Loki spat.

“Don’t speak that way.” Warned Thor, temper rising.

“ _Oh_ , are your little mortals incapable of defending themselves? _You_ ,” He fixed his attention on Rodney. “What would you do if I were to-?”

“ _Don’t_ threaten him.” Suddenly Vivian was standing three inches from him, having swiftly leapt from her position on the couch. Her fangs were fully extended, a low hiss forming in the back of her throat. Tough she had wide shoulders, she seemed very slight in front of him. She barely made it past his chin. He looked down at her disapprovingly. She wouldn’t back away.

“Do keep your pets on a tighter leash.” Loki turned and walked away into his room.

Her stance relaxed into her more normal, slouched, posture. She looked over her shoulders. Seeing the stares and speechless faces, she tossed her hair back and huffed, obviously worked up and frustrated. Also very unlike her. She stalked off too, but not into her room.

~~~

Sam found her hours later curled up in the balcony overlook above the training area. There was a tablet in her lap, the one he had noticed was missing from its place on the wall (the one used to enter data on recruits and trainees). Neither said a word, Sam just sat next to her. He glanced down at the screen. She was looking through a dance studio’s website. It wasn’t fancy by any means; its simplicity and questionable color scheme indicated that it was probably solely run by the main instructor. She was an on a page of video archives, with dates going back not too long ago. Vivian’s endless single-column scrolling indicated a plethora of videos. The dance instructor obviously loved her work and her students.

The vampire was currently watching an instructional video. The volume was too low to hear, but the grey haired teacher kept pointing to a group of students. She gestured to their postures and positions. She stepped out of the camera view and the students began their nimble dance. It was evident by their skill, grace, and age that they were high level, and their performance showed it. One dancer stood out to him.

“Is that you?” The resemblance was remarkable, but the differences were clearly distinct. The dancer was tan and graceful, with beautiful form. Her hair was a shade lighter and eyes more playful and brighter. She moved in ways no one expected from slouching Vivian, except maybe the same swiftness. The dancer was also a few years younger. But they both had the same body shape and their faces were the same, save for the fact that one was plainly more happy and lively than the other.

“Yeah.” Vivian’s eyes were fixated on the screen.

The video ended a minute later. “Show me more.”

Vivian flipped to an already open tab. She moved her finger to press replay on the video. It was a stage performance, beginning with a dancer cloaked in a shadow. The music picked up, and she glided up the stage. She suddenly spun and swayed, beginning the steps. Sam had never been one for the arts, but he could tell that this dancer was extremely talented. He told her so.

She sighed. “I didn’t have the dedication. My teacher said I was her little prodigy, but she was always getting on me for that. I just did it for fun and because it made my Nan proud. I quit after my senior year. They were both really disappointed in me.”

“It’s hard to commit to a single practice.” Being in the Air Force, Sam knew too well.

Her head whipped around, with intently set eyes. “Teach me how to not be vicious.”

His brows furrowed. “You want me to do what?”

“I didn’t like the way they looked at me.” She shook her head for effect. “That’s the only thing that’s ever really bothered me like that in the longest time. I like you guys and I don’t want you all to think of me in that way. I know what I am now but I’m not a-” She was about to say monster before Sam cut her off.

“First, you’re not a monster. Second, we like having you around. Third, you’re not the only one with blood on your hands or skeletons in the closet. Fourth, of course I will.” Vivian grinned broadly. She leaned in expectantly, hair tumbling forward. He thought for a moment. “Discipline. You need to learn how to be in control of yourself again. Like you were here.” He pointed at the screen.

She glanced down, fingers running along the sides of the tablet. “I think I forgot all that. I mean, I know it but I don’t remember how it _felt_.”

“A life time of practice and you think you forgot it all?” She looked up at him through a mess of hair. “Trust me, you don’t. Its second nature by now, muscle memory. Here’s your homework: start dancing again. Get back in control.”

She focused her vision on the old Vivian. “I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Monopoly is just the most random thing I can imagine those nerds doing... I lost a game last week by landing on a property and had to pay $600 dollars, making me lose by $100... not that I'm still bitter or anything.


	7. Chapter 7

Vivian rolled her eyes, seeing Thor quickly enter Loki’s room with a tray of food and leave with one equally as full as the new. Not eating was a ridiculous concept to her. In fact, she was about to eat herself, blood bag in hand. The god shot her a knowing look.

“He’s been here a week and I haven’t seen him eat a bite.”

She looked down at her own food. “He should be grateful that he gets the chance.”

He ran a large hand through his hair. “It’s out of spite, but this stubbornness won’t get him anywhere but a hospital bed.” He huffed. “I see you’re busy. I shall see you later.” He walked off, presumably off to join his scientist girlfriend for his own meal. Everyone, even Vision (who evidently, could eat) and Bucky were off in the cafeteria.

Loki had been avoiding everyone; especially her. She had never seen him leave his room, so they hadn’t seen each other since their second encounter. His fresh scent trailed down the hall, so she did know that he was leaving regularly. Vivian really didn’t like him but she knew that Thor still cared for his brother. She paused for a moment and took a meditative breath, just like she had always done before a performance. She opened the door, stepped in, and closed it.

Loki was lying on his bed, long legs taking up the entire length of the bed. His scent was everywhere. He was tossing some sort of metal object up in the air, but stopped mid-catch when she came in. He held it there, eyes falling over her. Vivian cross over, maneuvered the desk chair so its back was to the wall, and sat. His lunch was on the desk. Untouched. Vivian pinched the bag and brought it to her mouth. Fangs flashing, she bit down and began sucking.

He picked himself up onto his elbows. He watched with complete disgust. “ _Get out_.”

“Not until you eat.” She didn’t even look up at him. He was indeed scrawnier and paler than when she had seen him last, dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks could be classified as hollow. “All of it.”

“I don’t have the stomach nor taste for Midgardian fare.” He spat.

“Neither do I.” She held it above her head for effect. When she could gulp no more, she set the half empty bag in her lap and licked her lips. “I don’t have that luxury.”

He considered her, taking in the sight. “You’re not exactly doing wonders for my appetite.” She shrugged, returning to her feeding. While Vivian was distracted, he studied her closely. Her translucent skin, her dark eyes, sharp teeth, the curve of her body, broad shoulders. The only thing remotely lively about her was her sleek, voluminous hair which even then only served as a dark contrast against her skin.

In another time and place, he might have found her a bit fetching. She was no model by any means, but she was rather comely and good looking in her own right. Interesting, to say the least. By no means spectacular, especially compared to the beauties he’d seen across the Nine Realms. Or even the women here who actually looked like they were alive.

Loki didn’t care for her. He wanted her gone as soon as possible. Other than force, cooperating seemed to be the only way of achieving that goal. She didn’t seem to be in the mental mindset of listening to anything he said to her. Whether that be an argument, threat, annoyance, or simple conversation. Nor was she necessarily the type to find joy in this success over him. He had heard them talking outside his door; she was probably doing this only because she felt sorry for Thor.

Most likely, she wouldn’t talk about it later or gloat. Besides, she had on the same bands on as he did. Perhaps she was as trapped here as he was. He had been half serious when he had called her their pet. The bands only served to enforce this idea. From what he could gather, she didn’t even have the brain capacity to recognize this victory over him. Furthermore, other than her teeth (which he was fully wary of), she seemed relatively harmless.

And he _was_ a bit peckish.

To Vivian’s surprise, Loki got up and picked up the tray. That was easier than she expected. He sat upright on the bed, fork poised in the air, a grimace on his face. The fork looked crude and primitive in his elegant, long fingers. It reminded her that had indeed been a prince. He had striking cheekbones and smart green eyes. He was, she realized, technically handsome.

“It’s fish.” He shot her a look.

“I know what fish is.”

She shrugged. “Just checking.” He picked through it, chewing carefully. It wasn’t the worst thing he’d ever eaten. He lifted the fork to his mouth, stopping half way when he saw Vivian drain the rest of the bag. A single rivet of blood ran down her neck. Her eyes closed as she sighed. She reached over and snatched a napkin from his tray, dabbing it away. She held it to her lips and licked at it. Loki watched with interest.

“What are you?”

She blinked. “You don’t know what a vampire is?”

“We don’t have them on Asgard.” His lip curled in a condescending sneer.

“Think bloodsucker.” She slid off the chair over to his bookshelf. She picked up a particularly ancient book of his and began to flip through it.

“Be _careful_.” He warned, annoyed.

“Eat faster. I’m bored.”

“What you are is insufferable.” He scowled further when she didn’t answer. This mortal was no fun. She really was like a poorly trained pet, a trifling beast picked up on an escapade. He ate more quickly, keeping an eye on her to make sure she wouldn’t destroy his precious book. It wasn’t in a language she understood, but there were illustrations she was captivated by. Vivian absent mindlessly traced the outline of a strange tree. The world tree, if she had known what to call it.

She startled when Loki set the tray down back on the desk, hard. She hissed warningly, enough to make Loki lower his voice into a more normal tone. “You may leave.” She put the book back carefully, looking over to inspect the platter. It was in fact empty. “Take this with you.” He held up the empty donation bag. “I don’t want it to rot in here.”

She took it and left without a word. Loki groaned aloud, settling back on the pallet. Eating that fast on a completely empty stomach had made him feel sick. Curse the creature, whatever her name was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos! I appreciate them all!  
> EnjoyI

Vivian shrank back, shaking her head. Sam tilted his head, giving her the ‘look’. Her shoulders slumped down further, but she managed to will her feet forward. The Avengers and cadets were too distracted with training to notice her and Sam in the corner. That is except for Loki, who on his daily outing took interest. He regularly snuck out of his room to prowl around to somehow find a way to escape or sabotage Shield.

Magic dampening cuffs were to blame. They shocked him every time he got too close to an external door or important wing. He wondered if the same happened to her. Little did he know, it didn’t. Strangely enough, no one had said anything about his little trips. Even Thor. He always made sure to get back around meal times so his not-brother wouldn’t catch him.

She stepped onto the mat, arms curled around herself. Along with practicing some of her old dance moves on her own, Sam had been training her at night, and indeed it had been helping her. Learning to re-control her movements had helped her stave off gut reactions such as extending her fangs when hungry. She was even growling less. They had kept their sessions at night, but Sam had insisted on training with the others nearby. To get her more comfortable with others, he said.

Vivian was highly opposed to the proposition, but she didn’t want to refuse his help. Her hands fidgeted in their wraps. She absent mindlessly played with her silver bands. Sam took his stance, feet spaced correctly. She did the same.

“Let’s touch up on defense. I’m going to come at you, and you’re going block me. Like I showed you before, alright?” The young woman took a breath and nodded. He swung his right, she pushed it away with her elbow. She didn’t, however, anticipate him punching at her stomach. Without thinking, she caught his wrist and hopped back, leg sliding back for balance. Sam looked at her and grinned. “Good job. I like the twist.”

Loki ran his green ovals over the scene. Interesting. Her movements were very fluid. Like a dancer, he mused. As he continued to watch, he became of aware of the fact that a lot of her movements were patterned like a dance. It was unique, to say the least. He was so captivated, he scarcely noticed Vision floating down next to him.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know what this stone is.”

“Have I? I don’t recall doing anything of the sort.”

Vision leaned against the railing, while Loki looked on impassibly with his hands folded behind his back. “You have earned your name, Silver Tongue.” Loki scoffed at him. “I was brought to life by this stone.”

“I gathered.”

“I am not _it_ , but I do carry some particularly strong memories from it. Flashes really, fleeting images.” Loki glanced at him carefully. “I remember you.”

Though already still, Loki stiffened. “Yet you let that witch pick through my mind to tell them what they already knew.”

“Humans are different from you and I. An ordeal like that would have been needed to be experienced in order for them to fully understand its depths. And have to have been related to them by someone on the same level of perception. I wouldn’t have been able to.” He said the last sentence a little sadly.

He scoffed. “An ordeal isn’t exactly what I would call it.”

Below, Vivian scooted right, dodging another blow. She side kicked with her right foot, high, but stopped short of connecting with this head. Sam easily grabbed her ankle and pulled her off balance. She tumbled face first into the mat, arms twisted underneath her. She made an audible humph and stayed down, her hair obscuring her face.

Sam crossed his arms. “You’ve got to follow through. You can’t hold back.”

“I thought we were trying to hold me back.” She muttered.

“She doesn’t want to hurt you.” Sam turned his head towards a third voice. It was Bucky, standing off to the side. “She has to practice with someone Enhanced like her. Not that you’re not-”

“No, no, I understand.” A hint of a smile played on this lips. “Please, be my guest.” Sam stepped off as Bucky stepped on, reluctant but determined. His metal arm was fully exposed. Out of the three the Avengers had taken in, he had already shown the most improvement and acted the most normally. He had adjusted quickly; Steve could see bits of the old friend he knew show up every now and again. The solider reached down and helped Vivian stand.

“You ready?”

“Yeah.” She frowned, looking down at his hand which was still clutching hers. Before she could blink, he twisted her arm behind her back. She growled, flexing her foot upwards, and kicked him hard in the stomach. He released her as he was pushed back. Vivian glared at him.

Bucky smiled slightly. “Sorry.”

“That was good!” Sam exclaimed. “Keep going.”

Vivian glanced down, smiling shyly. “Okay.”

Loki kept his face impassive, choosing instead to keep his gaze fixed on the scene below. They were really getting into it, but neither ever went too far. It was a fair and clean fight. He found Vivian to be impressive now that she didn’t hold back as much and it to be entertaining to concentrate on her movements. But Vision kept talking and he found it too difficult to shut him out.

“I’m sorry. Not just for that but for-”

“ _Be silent_.” Loki hissed. “You know _nothing_.”

Bucky hunched down low, lunging to tackle her to the ground. On instinct, she also crouched down low before bursting upwards, a front flip. Vivian wasn’t even aware of it until she whipped around, ready for the next round. Buck’s eyes flew up questioningly, a humored look on his face.

Sam let out a low whistle. “Nice. You’ve never done anything like that with _me_.”

Again, a little grin as she shrugged and brushed her hair from her cheek. “I-It’s just something they taught us how to do…”

On the far side of the room, there was a sharp cry. Every head in the room turned towards it. A cadet slowly sat up, a few feet from the mat he had been training on. The other student he had been sparring with was apologizing madly; he had obviously accidently thrown him off the mat and onto the concrete. The other cadet was waving him off nonchalantly, inspecting the bloody scrape on his arm. Just another training injury. The cadet walked off to the infirmary and everyone resumed what they were doing before.

“Okay Viv,” Sam started, turning his head back. “How about we… Viv?” He and Bucky looked around. Vivian was gone.

Above, Vision sighed. Loki had also disappeared amid the distraction.

~~~

Her fingers gripped the railing tightly. She took in slow breaths, willing her fangs to retract. After a few long minutes, they did. She sighed softly. “I know you’re there Loki. I can smell you.”

Loki stepped forward from the nook between the door and the walkway. He had closed the door as silently as possible, but it still didn’t surprise him that she had caught him. “Do a few drops of blood really get you that worked up?”

“Not usually.” She turned around, leaning all her weight against the metal. “But sometimes…” She trailed off, tipping her head back to watch the sun go down.

“Why have you let them tame you so? After they’ve imprisoned you here, why are you so docile towards them?” Loki’s voice was bitter as he eyed the bands around her wrists. Why would any being feel any sort of affection towards their captors? She had held _back_.

“Hmm? Oh. No, they’re my friends. They took me in.”

Loki scoffed. “Yet you let yourself be leashed.”

She shook her head, which was hard to do, upside down. “No, I want these on. They stop me from attacking people if I get too hungry. Not that they’ve had to. They keep me well fed.” Loki gave her a look. “They’re not using me. They’ve never asked me to do anything but wear these. They’re even working on a cure.”

“And how long ago did they promise you that?”

“From the beginning. They’re always asking me to come in so they can test a new idea. None of them have worked so far, but they’re making progress.”

“Why would you even want to be human?” Why anyone with her power would want to become weak again was beyond him. He had spent centuries in Thor’s shadow. It took him longer than Thor to gain enough skill and intellect to build a reputation for himself and even then his cunning magic was always pushed to the side in favor of Thor’s brute strength.

“I wasn’t always a monster.” Vivian held a hand in front of her face, letting the sunset turn it orange. She couldn’t remember the last time her skin was tan.

Loki cringed inwardly at the word. “What do you mean?”

“I was injected with something. I died and I never fully recovered.”

Loki gave her an odd look. “That’s a strange way to put it.”

“How else would you put it?!” She growled and flipped around, staring at the sun straight on. “Do you know what it’s like when all of your friends are walking meals to you? If I get too hungry, everyone is a warm sack of blood to me. Nothing more.”

Loki sneered. “Please, don’t whine to me about all your problems. I am not here to lighten your emotional baggage.”

“Then don’t start asking me those questions.” She hissed, glaring at him.

The trickster rolled his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself- you are not a monster.”

“I’m the definition!”

“No,” Of all people, Loki knew what a monster was. “A monster is evil and cruel. You are just a common beast.”

If she had been a dog, this would have been the point where her ears would have flattened. Her shoulders slumped downwards. “I didn’t ask for this.” She mumbled.

Loki turned. Walking, he replied, “None do.”


	9. Chapter 9

She had stayed up for hours, reading. Vivian missed a lot while she had been gone; time was very relative. Sometimes the period she had spent under the microscope at Hydra seemed to have flown by in the routine and long spans of hunger that distorted her perception of reality. But other times it bewildered her when she grasped the fact that five years of her life had been sucked away. She hadn’t even finished college. Not that she really cared about education anymore, but she remembered that it had been important to her at one point.

Contemporary fiction no longer caught her eye the way it had once before, so she had picked the oldest looking books in the store. Mostly classics. Right now she read a book of fairy tales, the unabridged Brothers Grimm version. She liked their distant settings and how they took her far away.

She hadn’t even bothered to undress; she was still wearing her day clothes though it was late. Only her low lamp light was on. Vivian jumped suddenly, her room now full of flashing lights and sounds. The standard alarm above her door screamed, red light flicked on and off angrily. She shrank back and closed her eyes at the sudden stimulation; she really hated her sensitive senses sometimes.

Several thuds were heard somewhere down the hallway, and after a few beats her door swung open. Bucky stood in the threshold, eyes wide but set with determination. “We’re under attack.”

Vivian practically leapt from the bed. “Here?” That was unbelievable. This was a Shield base. No one would dare.

“Hydra.” Vivian felt all air disappear from her lungs.

“Hydra?”

“Why is there an unconscious man in the hallway?” Loki hovered over Bucky’s shoulder.

Bucky glanced warily at him. “Hydra agent. We’re under attack.”

“Why?” Vivian asked. “Do they just want to take us down or?...” She didn’t want to finish the thought.

“I- I don’t know.” They both knew what each other was thinking, that they didn’t want Hydra to be after either of them. “The Avengers are still gone on their mission.”

“Well, they aren’t planning to take down the base.” Bucky shot the trickster a questioning look, making Loki roll his eyes. “They must have known the Avengers wouldn’t be here, obviously. Otherwise they wouldn’t attack. Too risky. But even without them, a base as secure as this one isn’t worth attacking unless they have something you want. Or maybe someone. Perhaps two someone’s.”

“If that’s true, they probably wouldn’t think that we were in the apartments. That must have been a scout, otherwise there’d be more. That means we got time. I’m going to help fight.” The solider backed out of the doorway.

“Wait.” Vivian reached over and grabbed her blue jacket off the chair, the one with the drawstring waist. “I’m coming too.”

He didn’t question her. “Okay let’s go. You stay here.” He ordered Loki.

The trickster narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to leave me here, defenseless?”

“You? Defenseless?” Bucky rolled his eyes.

Loki cocked his head and held up a banded wrist. “Relatively. I’d have no problem with that little peon but it would be a different story if I was outnumbered.”

“He’s right.” Vivian shrugged. “He’d be overpowered. And he could escape.”

Bucky paused, looking Loki up and down critically. He took a step forward so he was scarcely two inches from his face. “You do what I tell you. You don’t hurt her, me, or anyone other than Hydra. You betray us and I’ll-”

“Kill me?” He raised an eyebrow. “Get in line.”

Vivian huffed and pushed them forward. “We don’t have time for this.”

Both men looked at each other, Bucky glaring and Loki oozing irritation but they complied. Walking down the hall, Loki was sandwiched between the both of them. They carelessly stepped over the Hydra lackey, the air still buzzing with lights and sounds. Hearing the clack of shoes slapping the floor and equipment jangling against itself, they halted and pressed close to the wall. A conjoining hall that ran to the scientist’s residence was right across from them.

Figures rushed past. Though the lighting was dim, they were definitely not in Shield gear. Bucky leapt out and slammed his arm into the back of one’s skull and deft ducked out of the line of fire. As one crossed over into the line of sight Loki grabbed him and rammed his head in the wall, creating a hole. He swiped a knife off of him and cut another agent. That one reeled and swung his gun over at Loki. Vivian burst forward and twisted his arm. There was a large snap and the man let out a strangled cry and dropped.

Bucky picked two guns off the floor. His head whipped around in the direction they had been running towards. He grabbed Vivian’s arm and yanked her back. She hissed as she bumped into Loki’s chest. He looked down at her and scowled. She glared back. She jolted at the sound of gunfire. Bucky shoved a gun in her hand and turned around and fired off several shots.

She looked down at it critically but stepped behind Bucky. By the sound of it, he was obviously the better shot. They heard someone shout something about the Winter Solider. Bucky bared his teeth. “I’m shooting blind. They’ve got night vision.”

Vivian squeezed underneath his arm. Carefully, she aimed and fired. By no means was she a good shot, Sam hadn’t taught her anything but the basics, but she managed to hit two.

Bucky moved away, leaning against the wall next to her. He looked impressed. “How are you doing that?”

“I can see in the dark.”

“You can’t hold them back like that forever.” Loki intoned on the opposite wall. “Do you have a plan?”

“No-Get down!” A grenade bounced off the wall into their wing. Vivian squeaked as Bucky grabbed her and threw her to the ground, keeping his metal arm up to shield them from the blast. Her back hit the floor, hard. Loki dived, burying his nose against the wall. She couldn’t cover her own face in time though, and was treated to the full effects of a flash bang. She was sure her eardrums popped as the light blinded her.

She yelped and struggled, her senses being overwhelmed. A low, dangerous growl formed in her throat as her instincts took over. She shoved Bucky aside and was gone. Loki was on his knees when he saw her disappear around the corner. Towards the Hydra agents. Bucky sprung up, following Loki over to the enemy.

In a few short minutes of blood and carnage, they stopped to breathe. Dead or injured Hydra agents were strewn across the floor. Buck made sure their weapons were out of reach. Vivian licked at the blood around her lips. She was blinking rapidly, a befuddled look on her face.

“There are spots _everywhere_.”

“Viv?” Bucky huffed, out of breath. “Let’s not go crazy like that again.”

“Her eyes are more sensitive than a normal humans.” Loki reminded, not as winded as them. He turned his attention to the cowering people trickling in from their rooms. They were still in their pajamas. He chose to ignore them. “That flash bang was a trigger.”

“ _Everywhere_. I can’t _see_.”

Bucky straightened up. “Um. Hydra’s attacking.” He gestured to the pile of weaponry and leaned down to take one for himself. “Arm and barricade yourselves in.”

“Shield.” Said Loki, looking down the hall, bored. He frowned, eyes narrowing as the agents aimed their guns at him.

“Whoa!” Bucky stepped in front of him. “It’s okay, he’s with us. He’s helping.” Hesitantly, they lowered their guns.

Their leader stepped forth, signaling his four other men. They moved to point the scientists into their own common room, exactly identical to the Avenger’s. “This was you guys?” Buck nodded. The man jerked his head left. “There’s a fire fight near the labs.”

“Got it. Let’s go. Viv?” She responded by picking up a gun and nodding.

“Wait! He stays.” He meant Loki.

“Trust me, its best he stays with us. We can keep him under control.” If he had been anyone other than the Winter Solider, the leader might have argued further, but he honestly didn’t want to play babysitter to a psychotic god. They made their way over to the sound of gun fire.

~~~

From her position behind a crate, Vivian was starting to feel completely useless. She had long run out of ammo, was a terrible shot anyway, and even Loki had found some purpose in throwing knives. They hadn’t let him have a gun. “Verbeck!” She peaked out. Fury was yelling at her from across the room. She hadn’t met him yet but from what she heard he was charge of everything and was to be feared and respected. “Get that straggler!”

She swiveled her head to see who he was talking about. She saw him; he was sneaking out to the labs. Being off to the side, she was closest. He hurried in, her trailing behind. She slowed down as she tracked him, letting him keep ahead of her. He had a gun; she didn’t want to alert him until it was too late. She watched as he rounded the corner into a big open space. She kept to the shadows as he walked up the stairs to the overhanging lab area. Glass railing lined it.

“Nobody move! Hands up!” Jane and Darcy shared a look and did so, not daring to rise from their crouch. Beside them, Helen’s breathing hitched as she slowly put her hands in the air. He looked straight at her. “Helen Cho?” She didn’t answer. The gun swung directly at her. “Are you Helen Cho?”

“Yes.”

“Get up. Slowly.” Her eyes widened in fear. Her jaw opened and closed but no words came out. After a pause she carefully stood. “You’re-” He stopped talking when Darcy gasped lightly. He spun around. A ghostly pale woman, mouth stained red stood at the top of the stairs. There was a bang. The woman gripped her abdomen and tumbled down the stairs. Despite herself, Darcy shrieked.

He turned around again. “If you don’t come quietly that’s going to be you.” Vaguely, she nodded. “Don’t do that!” Jane’s eyes flicked to him. Her expression was unreadable but her jaw was set a certain way. “Don’t press that panic button. You know what? All of you, stand.”

Begrudgingly, they complied. The corners of his mouth quirked upwards. “I want to have a better angle.”

Their hearts raced but they didn’t let on to any indication of the woman behind him. Her left arm dangled uselessly at her side. Blood dripped from her wound to the floor. Miraculously, he didn’t seem to notice the dripping sound. She let it bleed, uncovered by even her hand. Her feet slid easily over the floor. No sound of footsteps. Vivian was inches from him when she bared her fangs and surged forward.

Her fangs sank easily into his neck. He cried out, trying to point the gun at her but she had grabbed his hand and twisted it so he dropped it. He struggled, elbowing her and banging the side of her head. She wouldn’t let go. He fought, pushing them back into the glass railing. He grabbed her right arm and pulled it against him; he beat her against the railing. Vivian withdrew, using the arm curled around him to lift him up

The vampire braced him against the edge; he was flailing now. With one shove she tilted him over. The effect was instant. He didn’t have a good a grip on her and fell. And it was a long way to fall. There was a sickening thud then silence. Vivian stepped back, hand pressed to her bleeding abdomen. Her left arm was ridiculously limp, not unlike a ragdoll. It didn’t seem to be fully connected with her body anymore. She gasped and swayed, falling against the glass and slumping to the floor. She left a trail of blood against the previously spotless pane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story, I too fell down the stairs last week, and let me tell you, Vivian is going to be hecka sore.


	10. Chapter 10

A groan slipped from her lips. People were hovering over her, though she couldn’t focus on their faces. A mask was pressed to her face, filling her lungs with air. It was a welcome relief; the last thing she remembered was a lack of breath and searing agony in her shoulder and stomach. Vivian couldn’t feel her left arm anymore but clearly felt a stinging sensation in her lower torso. She felt sleepy and relaxed and wanted nothing more to slip away from the pain.

Slowly, the haze wore off. She shifted, discovering she was on a flat, hard surface. A harsh light dangled from the ceiling, burning her corneas. She hissed half heartily. There was tapping on her good shoulder. “Vivian? We need you to be awake for this.”

She whimpered softly but didn’t protest being sat up since it was Dr. Cho. The doctor gestured over Bucky, who had been standing awkwardly next to Loki. He had dragged the trickster along, unwilling to leave either of them alone. “She can’t sit up on her own and I need them,” She meant her three assistants. “To help me set her arm. Just support her back and head. Don’t move, you’ll mess with the fluid tubes.”

Bucky braced her against his metal arm, his flesh hand carefully keeping her head from lolling back. He was obviously very uncomfortable with his position. Loki smirked at the sight. Vivian whined as the stiches in her stomach were pulled around. Helen instructed her assistants. One stood at the head of the flat table where they had finished extracting the stuck bullet and sewing up the hole in her abdomen. She was surrounded in fluid bags that ran into Viv’s good arm and beeping monitors.

The doctor and an assistant hovered and supported her limp arm. The other woman on her team quickly rolled up her shirt and wrapped gauze around her exposed stomach. “Vivian?” The vampire simply moaned in response. She was pumped full of enough sedatives and muscle relaxants to take down an elephant. “You’ve got a dislocated shoulder. We’re going to roll the joint around until it gets back into the socket. Okay? Ready?”

She grunted, letting her eyes flutter shut. They massaged her shoulder blade a little, shifting the joint. Vivian’s eyes flew open. Her body tensed and she squirmed. “You have to stay still for us. Promise me you’ll stay still.” She whined but nodded slightly. Loki rolled his eyes. She really was an animal. They tried again. She growled, teeth flashing. Everyone but Buck leapt back, afraid of where her teeth would land.

Bucky tensed, ready to be bitten. Instead, her fangs sank into her own wrist. Cho paused then gestured for her assistants to retake their positions. Furiously, she tapped Vivian’s hand. “Stop biting yourself! Let go!” But Vivian was in another world, eyes squeezed shut as blood ran down her arm.

Loki sighed. Mortals were ridiculous. “Such a waste of time.” He said aloud, stepping forward. Bucky glared at him as he reached out and tightly gripped her wrist but couldn’t make a move to stop him. “Vivian. Let go.” His voice dripped with authority. Her throat rumbled. “Now.”

She unhinged her jaw, still whining. He lifted her hand into the air so she couldn’t do it again. Dr. Cho looked at him in astonishment. “How did you do that?”

“There’s no need to fear her.” He said simply. “Her first thought was to bite herself.” He remembered how she reacted to the flash bang and scoffed. She had immediately attacked her enemies, not her allies. “You have her trained so well it’s pathetic.”

She shot him a look, returning to her work. After a few more rotations, they got the joint back into the socket with a loud click. Checking her range of motions, they took an x-ray and fitted her with a tight sling. A separate strap kept it close to her body. Loki almost sneered at the sight of her helplessness. This creature who he had seen rip out the throats of men was now groggy on drugs and heavily bandaged.

Begrudgingly, and though he wouldn’t admit it to himself, he could empathize with her pain. _Maybe this is why they took her in as a pet and cared for her_ , he mused. _One could see how someone would want to protect this pitiful beast._

~~~

“She should be up in a few hours.” Helen looked over at the moaning vampire, whose eyes were blinking open. “Or now.” Vampires and their drug resistance. She turned from Steve and moved over to the bed. The team leaned in, worried. “Viv?”

“Why is it so _bright_?” The team laughed.

Natasha smiled, placing a hand atop the other woman’s. She couldn’t tell if she was any paler; her translucent skin seemed no deader than usual. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She replied, a little breathless. Her nose twitched. “Those flowers smell nice.”

“Yeah, Jane and us got you some. Darcy, you saved her, got you this.” Natasha reached over and grabbed something next to the two vases.

“I am not sure if it was in such good taste.” Wanda drawled, exchanging a look with Vision.

Vivian blinked at the little bear put in her hand. It had a black cape with a stiff collar and two protruding teeth. She flipped open the attached card. A grin spread across her face. Her voice rose to a high pitched squeak as she excitedly held it up for them to see. “The card says _fang you very much_!” Rodney cocked his head, exchanging a look with Steve. Bucky smothered a snicker. Thor raised a questioning eyebrow. Sam face palmed. She hugged it to her chest, close. “Is this not the best thing you’ve ever seen?!”

“It’s up there.” Vision said brightly. Wanda muttered something in her foreign tongue about it being tacky. Only he and Natasha understood what she had said.

Thor laughed heartily. “Thank you for saving my Jane. I am eternally grateful.”

She glanced down shyly. “Anyone could’ve.” Her eyes roamed down to her wrists. She frowned. “Where are my bands?”

“You don’t need them.” Steve said firmly.

“But-“

“You don’t need them.” Natasha tousled Vivian’s hair roughly. It got in her eyes, making her pout further which only served to make the team chuckle again.

~~~

A box plunked down on her bed. Vivian cracked an eye lid and stared at the intrusion. She had been moved back to her room. Two days since the attack and her stomach wound was almost entirely healed and her shoulder set in place. Still, it had been insisted that she rest a few more days since the bullet had ripped through several major organs and it usually took months for a normal person’s dislocated shoulder to completely set. The lack of immobility annoyed her.

“What’s this?”

Sam grinned, obviously proud with himself. “You mentioned a while back that you couldn’t find your grandmother’s old music boxes.” She sat up abruptly and pulled the box closer. “I managed to track them down. They were in an old safety deposit box.”

She was squirming in delight. “Thank you! I haven’t seen these in years! They’re all here too-” Carefully, she dug one out and studied it, smiling. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He said, serious. “I know you don’t have much of your own stuff here. I wanted to drop these off; Fury’s got me on call. We’re going to find out why they were after Dr. Cho. I’ll see you later, all right?”

She nodded. “Really, thanks Sam. For everything. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor.”

 

Loki strode past Vivian’s open door without a second thought. His fingers just grazed the knob handle to his room when he heard a crash and a small yelp. He was going to ignore it when he heard a strange delicate sound, like fine glass. Curious, he peered inside. Vivian was fumbling with a cardboard box. Things shifted inside. She glanced down at the floor, mildly horrified. He followed her gaze. Several tiny boxes. Music boxes.

She looked up suddenly and their eyes locked. He contemplated blatantly leaving but her apparent distress was amusing. She pouted at him. “I dropped them.” She pulled uselessly at her left arm that was still in its sling to show her inability to pick them up.

Loki sighed. “That’s not my problem, now is it?” Her big doe eyes pleaded with him. Despite himself, he bent forward and began to pick them up. He carefully placed them in the box, one by one. Vivian made herself busy, checking each one for damage. His attention caught a circular one and he held it to the light.

He flicked the latch and it swung open. The tiny gears inside sprung to life and began whirring. It was slow and methodical and he found he rather liked it. For a mortal novelty. “My favorite things.” He glanced down at Vivian, also holding a music box to the light, though the one she had was a glass tube. She sang along, slow and gentle although not nearly soft enough for the dainty tune. Clearly, she had never had a lesson. Listening, Loki found that he didn’t really mind. “Raindrops on roses…”

She sang absently, from pure memory. She didn’t really have to think of the lyrics, he could tell. She concluded, still focused on the object in her hands. He waited for her to explain further, but she didn’t. “Where did you get these?”

“Hmm? Oh, Sam. They were my Nan’s and he tracked them down.”

 _As long as I’m here, I might as well indulge myself, he thought to himsel_ f. He lifted a sliver piano from the box and twisted the key. It played a happy little tune. He examined an engraving on the side. Heart and Soul, it played. He replaced it and picked up another. This one tiny and gold, not even in a casing. It played a rather sorrowful tune. “Sounds exactly like weeping.” He mused.

“My Heart Will Go On.” He arched an eyebrow. He had unaware that he had said that aloud. “It’s from Titanic, the movie. You know about that disaster, right?” He nodded, even though he didn’t. “It’s funny, my Nan would always say that. Listen to this one.” She presented the one in her hand to him.

In the glass tube, a tiny woman stood atop a tower, vines trailing upwards to her balcony. A man below looked up to her. Loki recognized the scene. Fumbling, Vivian managed to wind it up. It sounded like a dance. Specifically, a couple’s dance. Definitely a love song. But a very, very tragic one. Unbearably naïve with heartbreaking undertones. When it concluded he said, “Romeo and Juliet.”

She nodded. He found it strange, how much she nodded. “A Time For Us.”

“Leave it to mortals to glorify rash actions from hormonal teenagers. What is that, six dead?”

“Yep.”

He glanced back in the box. “Is that a frog?”

She grinned. “Pull it out, that one’s my favorite.”

Begrudgingly, he did. It was ridiculously happy and dreamy, full of wistful hope. Vivian closed her eyes, smiling softly. “Rainbow Connection.”

“Nauseating. Too innocent for my tastes. Where are your bands?” He sounded displeased, and not at the music.

Vivian locked her eyes on her wrists, a rueful expression on her face. “They took them off.” His lip curled and he looked away. Now he was the only collared beast. But she wasn’t happy with it either. “I wish they didn’t.”

“You should be happy.” He said tersely.

She shot him a sharp look. “You can control yourself.”

“And apparently, they think you can too. They think they can trust _you_.” He spat.

She was incredulous. “You want them to trust _you_?”

“Better me than a creature of the night.” He knew he was being ridiculous. He was jealous even though their trust was worth nothing to him but still, they thought better of her, an animal. Why was he stuck here when a beast was allowed to roam freely? Did they really think that low of him?

He strode out and slammed the door, but not before Vivian managed to choke out, “You’re as pale as I am!”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not proud to admit, but I did a stupid amount of research for this chapter. Like, way more than you'd reasonably think.

“Why did we bring him again?” Rodney stared over at Loki, who was standing at the other side of the ball room as far away from his brother as possible, dressed in a dapper suit.

“Yeah,” Added Tony. “The last time he was at a banquet, didn’t he kind of rip open a guy’s eye?”

“Getting out will be good for him.” Explained Thor, taking a swig of his drink. “And we’ll have less to worry about if we know he’s here with us.”

The Avengers had all been invited to a banquet in New York to celebrate the rebuilding of the city and to generate funds for Sokovia. The grand ballroom of the ritzy hotel was a very fitting location for the lavishly dressed guests and the orchestra. Tony, though retired, was of course invited. The largest portion of the fund had come from him alone. Heck, even Vision made it. Amazingly enough, he was getting a lot less stares than everyone had prepared for.

“How is that?...” Tony broke off from his mutter when he saw his girlfriend. “Hey, Pepper!”

Pepper had insisted on getting all the ladies together to get ready and by the looks of it, her efforts were a success. She wore a silky ivory formal that drifted to the ground. Wanda wore her signature red color, with a lacy black collar stretching to her neck. Natasha stunned in her short black dress. Thor couldn’t keep his eyes off Jane, in a bright blue swooping dress and a silver bodice.

Darcy was definitely the most risqué. Her black strapless with sprouts of deep pink flower didn’t leave much to the imagination in the upstairs department. Vivian was the simplest. Dark purple, tripled layered and longer in the back, running just over her knees. The sides of her dark hair were pulled up in a simple clip. Her little silver heels were the tallest, and she walked the smoothest. Being a dancer, she had plenty of practice. Unlike Jane, who looked like she was about to fall down. Darcy wobbled too. Not that that slowed her down.

Pepper grinned, hugging him. “Hi Tony. You’ve met Jane and Darcy, right?”

“Jane, yes. Darcy, no.” He held out his hand and shook hers, gathering up all his suaveness. “Intern?”

“Yep. Not even my field.”

He shrugged. “That’s the job market. Annndd…” He pointed at Vivian, who was currently distracted and squinting at all the bright lights. Still looking as dead as ever. “You’re Viv. The vampire.”

“Tony.” Steve warned, shooting him a look.

“Hey.” Sam leaned in so only Steve could hear. “Don’t worry about it.” He had confidence in her self-control.

“What? Ow!” Pepper prodded him, none the gently. Vivian nodded absently. “So do you only come out at night or- ow! What, I’m just curious!”

Vivian wasn’t even paying attention. “Why is it so _bright_?” She said to Darcy and Wanda. She and the former had become fast friends. They were compliments of each other, one much more alive than the other and talkative while the other preferred to listen.

“So people can see.” Wanda pulled her back into reality, gently nudging her around. She blinked at Tony.

“Did a sparkly guy save you from a car?” He scooted away from Pepper, narrowly missing her elbow. He didn’t miss Natasha’s hand though when she not-so-subtlety smacked him in the back of the head.

The group glared at him, but Vivian was unfazed. Her stoicism brought Steve and Sam back to the same girl they had talked to in the containment room. “No. I died and never fully recovered.”

There was a pause. “Viv, you’re being creepy again. Let’s go check out some guys!” Darcy yanked a protesting Wanda and compliant vampire away.

Bucky grinned at Tony’s disturbed expression. “Well, you asked.”

 

“Please?” Darcy begged, hands clasped together for effect. “Can you at least see if he thinks I’m cute?”

Wanda rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Her eyes glowed for a few seconds and she looked up at the other woman. “He hasn’t seen you yet. But the guy next to him thinks you are.”

“Really?” Darcy’s head whipped around. She caught the gaze of the older man standing next to the blonde hunk. He waved. Wanda smirked. “Seriously? Ew. Hey, where’s that Bucky guy? He’s hot. Oohh does he think I’m cute?”

Wanda choked on her drink, sputtering. She glanced mischievously at him. “Now _that_ would be interesting.”

The music started up again. Some men turned to ladies, hand extended. They took their hand and the couples moved to the center of the room. Darcy tilted her head. “What are they doing?”

“Waltzing.” The three turned around, realizing that Loki had been mere steps behind them. He rolled his eyes. “Please. Do you not know what that is?”

“Yeah, I do.” Darcy said. “I just didn’t know people actually danced it anymore. Do _you_ know how?”

“Of course I do.” He scoffed. “Do any of _you_ ladies know how?” He was obviously mocking them.

Wanda glared at him. “How would we?!”

“I mean,” Darcy continued, looking him up and down. “If someone would show me.” She gave Wanda an imploring look. Wanda knew what she was asking: does he think I’m cute?!

“I do.” They swiveled their heads to Vivian.

“ _Really_?” Loki had on his are-you-serious face. He suddenly smirked and bowed, extended his hand to her. Mocking her. “May I have this dance?”

Vivian’s eyes narrowed. Challenge accepted. “You may.” She replied, taking his hand.

He glanced up slightly, a little surprised. He rose to his full height, his smirk growing more mischievous. “Very well then.”

“Don’t.” Wanda grabbed Vivian’s shoulder. “He just wants to mess with you; he’ll just show you up.”

“It’s fine.” She assured, shrugging. “I know what I’m doing.” He led her to the dance floor.

Wanda face palmed. “This is not going to end well. He’s going to humiliate her.”

“It’s okay.” Darcy patted her shoulder. “She can always bite his neck open. Let’s go see if Bucky will teach me!”

 

The spun to face each other. Loki placed his hand on her left shoulder blade and gently held her right arm in the air. His posture was absolutely perfect. She laid her arm on his and let her hand rest on his shoulder. It occurred to her that the waltz was heavily depended on cues from the lead. Being arm-led tended to throw both dancers off balance so it relied on body contact such hand pressure, pressing your bodies together, or even nudge from the hips. She wondered what Loki would do.

On the next beat, Loki pulled her close so that their chests touched. So, he was a very controlling lead. They glided across the floor. They started off simple enough, just the basics. He suddenly spun her. She easily followed, even as he changed directions. He spun her out and pulled her back in, under his arm and pulled her close again, his arm around her stomach.

They continued, Vivian dancing facing away from him “I remember the last time we were in a position similar to this one.” On the next beat he turned her back out again and they slowly rotated. “You’re a better dancer than I thought.”

“I took lessons.” She responded, face stoic. But she didn’t feel stoic. Not when she suddenly noticed how elegant his hands were or the strange…nice sensation of being this close to another being. She couldn’t remember the last time she held any sort of physical contact with anyone for an extended period of time. Not since being turned, at least. This, he, actually if you wanted to get technical, made her feel alive again.

Loki felt it too. He had never been one for physical contact or displays of affection. He didn’t consider himself touch starved, but it _had_ been a long time anyone had touched him without the intent to mutilate, murder, or harm him. Her small soft hands didn’t help, nor did the length of her body against his. Neither did her smooth movements or the gentle look in her eye, the same one when she had been listening to the music boxes, as she was swept away with the music. Suddenly aware of this, he became more ridged.

Vivian noticed this and frowned as she was pulled back and forth like a puppet. His stiffness annoyed her. On the next step, she kept her right foot that was between his legs still, letting him swivel her. She did this a few times and he had to adjust. She crossed her legs and let go of him; still careful to follow the steps as she stayed at arm’s length.

He yanked her back on the next turn. “What are you doing?” He scowled down, still towering over her despite her heels.

Vivian scowled too. “You’re too stiff. It’s boring.”

“And you’re unresponsive.” He countered, slightly uncomfortable at the thought that she might figure out why. “You’re not going as I direct.”

“If you relax and actually try some moves, I’ll follow better.” She promised firmly. She had been enjoying this and didn’t want to stop.

He considered this. “Alright.” On the next step, he spun her under his arm several times, all the while rotating. He spun her out and back in. “Like that?”

She smiled broadly, all teeth. “Ye-” He stopped suddenly, spinning in her space. He twirled her around him in a complete circle, then brought her to his side and led her to a more open spot. She blinked wildly, leaning on him for support. She laughed once, short and pleased. “Hey!”

Despite himself, Loki chuckled lightly. This pet was amusing. “Like _that_?”

She giggled again. “You like spinning too much!”

He glanced around, eyes sharp and the corner of his mouth slightly raised. “Okay, let’s do a hop, ready? Up!” He supported her as her legs left the ground for a moment. He spun her out and in again. She poised on one toe for a second and glided back in. He swayed her more, their hips swinging back and forth. He was pleased with the lightness of her feet.

Vivian laughed again. It occurred to him that he had never heard her laugh before. “You’re ridiculous!”

“Am I now!?” There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He rocked her slowly for a few counts, letting her compose herself. He dipped her back, supporting her on his leg. She squeaked in delight.

“Don’t do that again!” She warned, breathless and still smiling.

“Oh what, this?” He teased and did it again, spinning her more for good measure. The song was ending, so he used this as an opportunity to dip her again, backwards so her hair scraped the ground.

There was wolf whistle and the two looked up. It was Tony; the entire group was watching them with unfiltered enjoyment. “Nice, Lokester! Where’d you two learn how to dance like that?”

Loki righted and released her. In an instant, he was distant and icy again. “Some of us actually pursue higher forms of culture instead of trolloping around with questionable sobriety. If you’ll excuse me.” He turned heel and fled their attention.

Vivian giggled, tossing her head back. “Wait!” She trailed after him, trying to hold in a laugh. “Come on, let me teach you the foxtrot!” Out of their sight, she took his hand and moved in front of him. “They’re playing it, let me show you!”

Loki looked down at this creature who was clutching his hand close to her chest. Her grin was manic as she pleaded with her brown doe eyes. She was a fun little pet, he had to admit. At times, that is. “Very well. How does it go?”

 

Tony groaned. Waiting on people was boring, but he’d promise Pepper he wouldn’t wander off from the little conference room just off the ballroom as she fetched some businessmen or congressmen or whatever men. Someone who wanted to discuss numbers with him. From experience, he had learned that it was probably best to not blow people off, whether they were important or not, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t complain when they made him wait.

She could have at least left him with a drink. Well, she did actually. But that was five minutes ago. Abruptly, the room went dark. He stepped back from the window that overlooked the garden and scanned the room. His senses went on full alert. He could only make out vague shapes of the furniture; an impressively long table and plush chairs. And the silhouette of a woman standing in the doorway.

“Look hon,” He said a bit nervously. “I know I have a fan base, but ambushes-” he was cut off as the woman crossed the room in three strides, overpowered him, and sank her fangs into his neck.

Pepper screamed, seeing her boyfriend limp and on the floor, a shadowy woman atop of him. The public officials behind her leapt back at the sight of blood, which was everywhere. The creature with translucent white skin took off, crashing straight through window with monstrous strength. Pepper leapt into action, kneeling at Tony’s side and checking for a pulse. “Get help!” She ordered the politicians.

 

If she wasn’t a dog, Loki could have sworn Vivian’s ears perked up at the sound of glass breaking. There had been a pause in the music, so everyone heard. Everyone in the hall froze, turning towards the sound. A murmur fell over the room. An older woman in a long draping dress rushed in, pausing to scan the room. Finding Steve, she gestured hurriedly. The Avengers team shared a collective look and followed. Several security guards did so too, many staying on high alert.

Loki localized the sound. “Judging where it’s coming from, whoever broke that window broke into the garden.” He watched them run out with clear distain. “If they want to catch the culprit, they’re going the wrong way.” When he looked down, Vivian wasn’t there anymore.

He rolled this eyes. How could she have such a sense of duty? She wasn’t an Avenger. He saw her weaving through the crowd and easily caught up. He grabbed her arm and led her in a different direction. “If you want to catch them, you’ll want to go this way.”

She didn’t protest and kept close to him as he led her to a separate exit that went directly into the garden.

 

Pepper pressed Thor’s suit jacket he had offered to Tony’s bleeding neck. Two puncture wounds, slightly torn in the struggle. He was still breathing but still unconscious. He had lost a lot of blood. The liquid was everywhere; staining her dress and his suit. It puddled on the ground. She prayed the paramedic would arrive soon. Natasha knelt and checked his pulse.

“It’s steady.” She confirmed. “Prop his head up, let me hold that.” She reached over and held the jacket while the CEO placed his head on her legs.

Steve and Thor poked their heads through the broken window. “Whoever was here is long gone.” Said Thor, glancing over his shoulder as if he could find them hiding in the bushes.

“Vision and Wanda are scanning the city blocks.” Assured Steve, beginning to step through the opening.

Rodney came in, first aid kit in hand. He set it on the table and got out a few things. Taking them, he sat next to Tony’s right side, where the puncture wounds were. “Take it off.” Blood welled down, but not profusely. He wiped the substance away. “Guys.” His voice was shaking slightly. “There are two-”

“We know.” Sam said, appearing in the doorway from his rounds around the building with Bucky. They both stepped him. “How is he?”

“It’s hard to know how much he lost, but if we could get him to stop bleeding soon he’ll be stable.” Pepper sighed in relief. Rodney applied some clean pads to the area. “We can’t _ignore_ this.”

“It couldn’t be though.” Sam said. “She wouldn’t. She was in the hall all night.”

“Where are they?” Asked Natasha. “Are they-” She stopped as two people and a struggling lump dragged between them stepped into sight.

“Caught it.” Loki dropped the torso he had been carrying. Vivian did the same, releasing the legs. The thing fell face first, but was up and hissing in an instant. Rivets of red ran down her mouth and onto her dark blue formal dress. Her teeth where stained with blood, as red as her hair. Her skin was so pale it was pure white.

Loki’s lip curled in disgust and he pinned the vampire down with his foot. He too was covered in blood, his clothing uncharacteristically rumpled and ragged, sleeve ripped straight off. His black hair stuck up in places. Vivian’s hair was also a mess, thick blood ruining her dress. Her knees were horribly skinned, two long scrapes running down her arm. Her eyes were unnaturally sharp and focused, fangs extended and nostrils flaring. They looked like complete wreaks.

It twisted onto her back, clawing at his leg. Vivian hissed, giving the other vampire a death glare. She shrank back and grew quiet. It was clear; Vivian was the alpha vampire here. Viv kicked off her shoes; one was no longer with a heel.

“Viv, is he going to become….” Pepper couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Is he dead?”

That statement did not comfort Pepper. “No.”

She narrowed her eyes at Tony. “Is he convulsing?”

“No.” Replied Rodney, double checking.

She shook her head. “No, then. As far as I know, I can’t infect people in any way. At least, that’s what I’ve been told. So unless they’ve put something else in this new generation he’ll be okay.” She prodded the vampire with foot, eyebrow raised in question.

Her voice was rough and feral. She sneered. “I know nothing of old generation. I didn’t know there was one. I thought we were the first and only.”

“No.” Vivian shook her head. “I was one of the first generation.”

“No, we were the first.” She seemed to be bragging. “It’s a wonder they selected you at all.”

Vivian leaned in. “Who do you think they tested it on? Not willing subjects. They had to make sure it’d work first. I _killed_ the last of the first generation. You’ve never gone hungry, have you? We did.” She pointed accusing finger at the billionaire. “You weren’t _feeding_ , you were _draining_.”

The vampire’s eyes grew wider. “All of them?”

“We were hungry. Starving. We didn’t care.” She bared her teeth. “I was just the last one standing. And you _choose_ that path?” The woman said nothing, still processing the information. Vivian stepped back, digging her nails into her arms. She stormed out the door.

Sam started after her, but Loki caught his arm and held him back. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Leave her be.” He shook his head, looking down at the vampire and up at the group.

“Dramatic for my tastes.” Wheezed out a voice on the floor.

“You have low standards.” Loki assured Tony, lip curling in disgust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, I got really into waltz music while writing this it was weird.


	12. Chapter 12

“Why am _I_ here?” Asked Vivian, frowning.

“A better question is, why am _I_ here?” Loki said, glaring at Nick Fury. “I’m the prisoner.”

“And a criminal.” Fury clarified, also setting him with a hard look. He addressed the team, plus Bucky, Vivian, and Loki who were sitting around the conference table. “You know all about the latest attack, and the attempted abduction on Dr. Cho, our top geneticist. We’ve been following scattered local reports for a while, places around known Hydra bases and even other areas, which we now think are Hydra bases.

“Victims are found in sewers, abandoned homes or buildings, empty lots, bushes, forests, with multiple bite barks all on their bodies. Two punctures at every wound. Some are found alive and can’t remember much, saying it happened too fast but there were multiple people involved and that they blacked out for a few days. The dead are completely drained of blood.” He let that sink in.

“It’s easy victims, or people you won’t miss.” His face grew harder, like stone. “Elderly, homeless, people you see wandering at night. Anyone alone really, at night. It’s been going on for at least three months. Numbers are all over the place, but the death toll is at a fifty.”

“Fifty?” Steve echoed. “That’s an epidemic! How could that many people, dead or alive show up with the same marks, and have no one say anything?”

“It happened all around the country, rural areas. Or cities where you can disappear for at weeks at a time. Group of serial sadists maybe, nobody thought vampires.” He shrugged. “Apparently, they don’t exist and the notion that they do is just plain ridiculous. But every time we swoop into a place, nothing. We can’t find a thing. No traces or useless evidence is left. Not enough to go by. Scouts must catch on to us ahead of time.”

“Hydra.” Said Natasha. “They’ve gotten good at that. Three months ago corresponds with the date that other vampire said she was made.”

“Verbeck.” Every head swiveled towards her. Currently, her face was planted on the table, hair splayed around.

“Packs.” Her voice was muffled. “Definitely. They must keep a victim around for a while and discard them when there’s not enough. It depends, but a single vampire can’t drain that much in a sitting, or even a day.” She groaned. “Alone is deadly enough but if they’re working together…”

“Why execute that assassination now?” Voiced Rodney. “And so publicly, while we were there, but then just run away? Shield would realize it was a vampire. Heck, they’ve got to know we’ve got Viv.”

“She wasn’t trying to kill him for Hydra.” Said Wanda. “She had left them to go on her own crusade. She hated the lavish lifestyle of privileged kids born into rich families. Stark was just first on her list.”

Sam huffed. “Great, even better. Renegades.”

“True.” Steve agreed. “Hydra itself wouldn’t be so obvious.”

“She didn’t know any of their plans.” Added Vision. “The way she put it, she left when she was only a fledgling.” He smiled at Vivian, trying to get her to respond in same at his little joke, but she didn’t even look up.

“Again, why am I here?” Loki asked, even more irritated now.

“We’re going to give the three of you a shot.” Loki’s expression turned to shock and offence while Vivian cocked her head, confused.

Bucky was a bit more tactful. Warily, he asked “What do you mean by that?”

“A chance at becoming an Avenger.” Sam answered for Fury, grinning down at Vivian whose face shifted to curious excitement.

Loki stood, slapping his palms on the table. “You can’t be _serious_.”

“I assure you brother, this is no jest.” Responded Thor, strangely regal and unreadable.

“ _Do not call me that_.” Hissed Loki. “Fury, in what realm I want to be, or be considered to be, a member of your rag tag group of _heroes_?” He demanded.

“Consider it probation. We know why you stayed so close to us in the first place.” Loki glared at the director. “You and Verbeck caught that vampire. And you two and Barnes fought with us, even if you were reluctant. Think of it this way, you’re earning your keep. You have a chronic backstabbing disorder, which doesn’t fly at Shield, but I’ve been assured that won’t happen. Or rather, can’t. Don’t think for a second that we’re trusting you, because we don’t. But you have a very special skill set, and I’m not letting that opportunity pass by. ”

 _Curse you Witch_ , Loki thought, glaring in turn at a smirking Wanda. He really hated mind readers, especially when they found out that he had no bad intentions. Sure, he hated the Avengers, but he had to begrudgingly accept their protection for the time being. It was better than a cell. Or Thanos. So he resigned himself to acceptable behavior. But to actually become one? Absurd.

“What can you tell us about fighting vampires?” Steve directed this question towards their resident one.

Her eyebrows knit in thought. “They’ll be relentless. They have no inhibitions anymore, especially if they completely lose it. They’ll go straight for a main artery; rip out the vain. They fight close range. Wounding them only stops them for a few seconds, unless you knock them out. A few bullets won’t kill them unless it hits the heart or brain.”

“We know that.” Natasha said pointedly.

Vivian shook her head. “No, even more than two bullets. I’ve been shot with more rounds than that-” She shut up, seeing their horrified expressions and glanced upwards. “They can see in the dark, but our eyes are very sensitive to bright light. Sounds too, for that matter. Well, even smells I guess.”

Though still furious, Loki was curious enough to ask. “How well?”

She thought for a moment. “I can distinguish every person in this room by their species, modifications, and pheromones by scent alone.”

“Really?” Thor said, impressed. “What do I smell like to you?”

“A horse.” Loki deadpanned.

Vivian half grinned. “Actually, yeah.” Not that discouraged Thor, who only threw his head back and laughed in amusement.

“And I?” Loki asked slyly, giving her a look would make her smile brighter. She had a nice smile, he noticed.

Her answer was immediate. “Pine.”

“We’re getting sidetracked.” Boomed Fury, annoyed. “You were saying?”

Her eyes flicked back to him. “They’ll use scents to track you down. They’re predators. They’re literally hunting you.” She shrugged. “Vampires are not much better than animals. They think like animals and they’ll hunt like one too.”

“Not all of them.”

Vivian looked at Wanda, confused. “No-”

“I meant what I said.” Wanda shot her a pointed look. “I’ve rooted through your mind and theirs.”

She glanced down shyly, a soft grin on her face. “That’s all I can think of right now.”

Loki turned his furious green eyes on Fury. “Truly, you must be an absolute fool to think I’d endanger myself for any desire of yours. I am not a tool ready at your disposal.”

“No one at Shield is disposable.” He snapped. “And for you, this isn’t an option. I’m don’t want to harbor a conniving, egotistical sorcerer, especially a bored one, if I’m not getting anything out of it.”

His expression turned condescending. “You want to keep me occupied.”

“Consider it therapy. Barns, Verbeck, you in?”

Vivian nodded vigorously. Bucky considered it more carefully, before shrugging. “I don’t see why not.”

Loki groaned, letting his head fall forward and smack the table. _Mortals are insane_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In marvel comics, ichor is a substance produced in the bloodstream of a victim, and enough of it turns the victim into a vampire, so that is where I got my inspiration for it. However, unlike in the comics, you cannot be turned just by being bitten. I tried to take a different approach concerning how vampires are created to better relate to this universe, so vampires are more like mutants in this universe than anything else.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realize I've been spelling Rhodey's name wrong the entire time because of auto correct but I really can't change it without doing major editing which with my luck will screw too much with this work so for the record, I am acknowledging my mistake but not fixing it... and I feel like a complete idiot. :(

“Stay close to me.” Natasha told them, making Loki roll his eyes.

“Like I have much of a choice.” He retorted, referring to his bands, which were now linked to matching silver bracelets on Natasha’s and Vivian’s wrists that assured he couldn’t wander too far from them.

Natasha ignored him. “They should be in a frenzy right about now.” She meant the others, who were needed for another, separate part of the mission; distracting Hydra by attacking a large base while they infiltrated a much smaller one. Any information they could collect would no doubt be valuable and they had to get it before Hydra had enough forewarning to delete it all. The headquarters was a large, mansion like home just outside of Cincinnati. Not thirty minutes from Vivian’s hometown.

Not that she had any desire to visit it. Seeing people she used to know, or worse, being recognized despite her physical changes would just complicate things. It was an old estate home, surrounded by foliage and a collection of equality old and expensive homes. An old flood ditch with concrete sides laid just beyond the backyard fence.

“I should say that their efforts are sufficiently concentrated on coordinating their resources towards a counterattack by now.” Loki said. “Shall we?”

Natasha peered through the bushes with her night vision googles. Which were still not as good as vampire vision, so she got a second opinion. “Viv, is it clear?”

“There’s… something looking through that window now.”

“Are you sure we’re shielded?” Natasha asked Loki. He could feel the heat of her gaze.

“ _Yes_.” He said through gritted teeth. “Do not forget that you have severely limited my magic. Do not move and they will not see us or our thermal signatures.” He really was giving it his all, but he didn’t have much to work with. How he _hated_ these humans.

“He’s gone now.” Vivian interrupted his loathing thoughts.

Natasha shifted forward. “Let’s-” Vivian caught her arm, head twisting towards the wind.

She paused for a second, nose in the air. “Nothing.” She relaxed. “I thought I smelled something upwind.”

“Good job.” Natasha assured her. “Okay, now.”

The three dashed through the foliage, only pausing to leap across the ditch, and climbed over the fence. Though it was difficult enough to give him a headache, the trickster managed to hide them from any camera. A buzz on Natasha’s watch alerted her and she dove into a bunch of tall flowers, Loki landing beside her and he cloaked the three of them as the heat sensing cameras passed over them. Natasha glanced around, searching for Vivian.

She could feel Loki roll his eyes as he gestured to his right and pressed himself down further. She caught sight of Vivian’s ghostly shade of skin. The vampire acknowledged her briefly, before picking a thorn from the rose bush she had landed in from her arm with her teeth. The assassin breathed a sigh of relief. It started to drizzle, churning up mud below them, getting onto their clothes.

When the danger passed, they moved to under a window. Locked, of course, but that only lasted for a few seconds under the attention of Natasha. She shoved Vivian in first and was followed by Loki. They needed no words as they followed the vampire. Vivian knew she was searching for a frequently used hallway. Loki scanned the area, carefully studying the shadows.

Catching a movement, he grabbed their shoulders and quickly cast an illusion around them. A fully decked out Hydra agent rushed past them, completely unaware. They tiptoed further. Natasha heard something, stopping Vivian from rounding the corner. Two more hurried past, taking some stairs to a higher level. Walking down the hall, a particular door caught her attention.

“The floor plan says that’s the library.” Whispered Natasha.

“A lot of people have used the door.” Vivian shrugged.

“What use do they have for books?” Mused Loki. “For pleasure only, and I don’t suppose they have much leisure time.”

Natasha put some sort of device to the wall. “It’s clear. You come with me, Loki…” She considered him carefully. “Guard the door.” He huffed but didn’t protest.

They entered the room, wall to wall with bookshelves, which Vivian scowled at. “Seriously? A secret passage behind a bookshelf?”

“There’s nowhere for there to _be_ one, according to the floor plan. What are you picking up?”

Vivian did a full circle around the room. “None of these books have even been touched in a while. I don’t- oh here we go.” She knelt by a tall liquor cabinet.

It looked promising. “It’s completely set on the floor.” Natasha opened it, feeling around it before popping the floor off. Metal ladder, straight down. “Stand outside with Loki, I’ll be fast.”

“Wait, there’s people down there.” Vivian warned. “Let me go with you.”

“I’ll be fine.” Natasha assured her, not missing what her deepening frown meant. “I know you could handle it, but it will be easier alone.”

Vivian blinked once. “I understand. Be careful.”

She slipped outside, startling Loki for a second. He barely acknowledged her, except to shoot her a look telling her to keep still so he could cast an illusion. Another man walked by them in a hurry. He stopped, directly in front of them. They held their breath as he yelled down to his comrades.

“Hurry, they’re waiting on us in sector three!” He stood, letting the other men get ahead of him. One bumped into him and he stumbled back slightly.

Directly into Loki.

Of course.

The man startled, throat slit before he could even cry out. The others heard though, and whipped around. Vivian lunged, digging her fangs into one’s neck. Loki stabbed another, easily cutting through the flesh. Spinning on her toe, she grabbed and held a man, letting Loki sink his knife into his stomach. She watched him, impressed at his mastery with a knife.

The last one finally reached for the gun at his side. “ _Two_ vampires?”

“One.” Loki deadpanned, annoyed.

Vivian landed a solid punch to the jaw and high kick to the stomach. Loki was sure he heard a crack. Despite the situation, Vivian smirked and looked back at him, blood staining her mouth. “I told you, you’re as pale as me!”

Loki rolled his eyes (for the umpteenth time) and opened his mouth to retort, but saw the flash of a barrel appear from behind the corner. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her in the opposite direction. It took three shots for her to start running as fast as him. A few rounds from her own gun stopped them for a few seconds. Loki skidded to a halt, fiddling with a window lock. Vivian nudged him aside, shooting the lock off, and spun around as Loki opened it and jumped out. Rain damped their clothing.

“Romanoff!” Loki shouted into the ear piece he had been given. “Can you get out another way?”

It crackled. “Yeah. What-”

“Get out!” Vivian hissed. Loki glanced at her, surprised at her tenacity.

It didn’t seem to bother Natasha though. “I’m going. Get to the street. Anywhere public.”

“Okay. Loki?” Vivian looked to him, questioningly. _Where to?_

Loki curled his fingers, a blue light radiating faintly from his palm. If he was at full power, it wouldn’t even be a question of whether he could get them to safety. “Stay close to me.” He reached around her so that they were kneeling with her under his arm and pressed to his chest. Loki cast an illusion above them.

Voices above them. “Do you see them?”

“Fire down there, where their last heat trace is. One’s weird though, it’s colder-” Loki cut him off with a dagger to the neck, offended by the reminder. Vivian shot the other one.

He cursed in a foreign tongue. “Dash for the fence, I can shield us for that long. But then I only have enough for a short illusion.”

Vivian nodded, straightening and sprinting. Loki easily kept pace, hopping the fence with the same grace as her. Bullets ricochet inches from their bodies. Loki hid them once again. It took all his concentration to guide them down the flood ditch, the water in it running as fast as a river. Feet splashed right by them, lights searching the drain the water sputtered out of. He pushed her in, once they were gone.

“It’ll be a tight fit.” She grumbled, kneeling and crawling in. A few feet in, and it was utterly dark. Loki couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. His pants and sleeves dragged him down, weighed down by the ice cold water surging past him. Not that he minded the temperature. He relied on Vivian to be his eyes. “We can stand up here. We’ll have to climb out.”

He heard sounds of her swinging her legs around, feet slapping on hard ground as she clamored out of the tunnel. “I can’t see well enough to do that.” He flinched as hand reaching up to take his.

“I’ve got you.” Loki grimaced and rolled his eyes, but let her guide him out. “Hold on, the floor is slick.” The water was far past their ankles. She held on to his hand and Loki didn’t make her let go. She led him further through the darkness. After twenty feet, she stopped suddenly.

“What is it?” He listened carefully, still unable to see.

Her voice was low, just loud enough to hear over the rushing water. “It’s hard to smell anything here, but can you hear that?”

He nodded, knowing she would see. There was a sloshing sound upstream, similar to the sound their own legs were making. Loki tugged her gently. Understanding, she backed them away in the opposite direction. They went ten feet before she stopped again. The sound was echoing from both sides.

“We can take them.” Loki whispered, confident in their abilities.

Vivian released his hand, baring her teeth and looking side to side. After a few minutes, her eyes locked with someone. Someone who could see her too. “ _Vampires_.” The creature charged at her, teeth flashing. She hissed, lunging too.

Heavy jaws clamped down on Loki’s neck. He faltered for only a second, stabbing the creature straight through the stomach. He knew the metal protruded out from the other end, but that only made it angry. Wanting to solve this quickly and since he had no magic left to use, Loki shifted into his Jotun form. It recoiled, burning from touching the sheer frigidness of his skin. This gave him enough time to slice its neck open.

“I thought you said you didn’t have any magic left.” Vivian said, voice full of awe.

“I don’t.” Loki responded, glancing away and beginning to shift back.

“Wait.” She breathed. “Your skin and eyes… It’s beautiful.”

He was already back in his usual form. “Hurry up, we have to get to the surface.” He bent down and ripped a piece of fabric away from the dead vampire. _He_ didn’t need it anymore and Loki didn’t want to ruin his own clothes.

Noticing his change of mood, Vivian didn’t say anything as they found their way out of the labyrinth of tunnels. Eventually, they found a ladder leading up to a manhole. It took a few tries, but Vivian managed to push the cover away. Rain sprayed down on their faces. They were downtown, not far from the hanger where Sam and the others were due to pick them up. Natasha was probably there, or would be soon.

She shivered, wrapping her bare arms around herself. As a vampire, her body temperature was considerably cooler than a normal human’s, but she liked to avoid rain and cold places since her body temperature was usually directly related on the environment. Loki took one look at her miserable, pitiful expression and sighed. He slid off his thick leather jacket and swung it around her, covering her head.

She blinked up at him, doe eyed and surprised. “Thanks.”

“Think nothing of it.” Under street light, they made their way back.

 

Vivian collapsed into a seat, swinging her legs over into the one beside her. She pulled Loki’s coat closer, promptly falling dead asleep. Wanda saw this and twitched her fingers, pulling and locking down the seat belts so that she would be somewhat secure if they hit turbulence. She sat next to the vampire’s head as the other Avengers filed back in after stretching their legs outside.

The mission was a success. They had taken down a base and Natasha was already copying and scrolling through the new information. Everyone sat down, Loki being the last one in. He frowned, seeing that the last seat available was between Vision and Vivian. Begrudgingly, he sat beside her, tensing when they took off.

Reaching cruising altitude, Vivian shifted, stretching her foot over Loki’s leg and leaving it there. He stared down at it in disgust and moved to push it off. In her sleep, she growled but otherwise didn’t stir. Loki glared at Rodney, who was trying not to snicker.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Said Vision. Loki raised an eyebrow at him.

“He’s right.” Added Wanda. “It’s not a good idea to wake a sleeping vampire.” As if she hadn’t done it before.

“She won’t-” He stopped, cut off by a pocket of turbulence. Vivian slid down further, laying both legs atop of him so that both knees were now in his lap, pinning him down. He scowled, placing his hands on her legs to push her off. She growled deeper until he froze and ceased his movements. She was silent again, chest barely rising and falling. You had to squint to see her breathe; vampires didn’t need as much oxygen as humans, a fact more evident while she was resting or still. In her sleep, she truly looked dead.

Rodney was giggling this time and Natasha was doing some _thing_ with her phone aimed at him. Vision and Steve tried to smother their smirks but Sam and Wanda didn’t even try. Loki glared knives at his brother. “Not a word, Thor.”


	14. Chapter 14

Late one night on his usual outing, Loki wandered through the training area. The sound of music had caught his attention. Curious, he peaked his head down over the railing. Vivian was there, dancing. But not like she was when he was her partner. More contemporary. Modern. Fun. Alive in a way she normally wasn’t, both in movement and energy. And completely beautiful.

He smiled, watching her flip and spin on light feet. Balancing on a toe, she leaned back, extending a hand out to him and grinning before twisting back to what must be a routine. He scowled, not liking being caught. He took his time traveling down the staircase, gaze locked on her.

“I knew you were a dancer.”

“Yeah.” She huffed out, music over. “I took lessons up until high school.”

“You are clearly talented.” He raised an eyebrow, which she knew was his way as asking her why she’d stop.

“They wanted me to go professional.” She shrugged. “But I started it just for fun and didn’t want to make a career out of it. I was never disciplined enough.” She shook her head sadly. “Sam, you know he’s been mentoring me, said I should start it up again. To get back in control again.”

“To learn self-discipline.”

“I guess.” She turned her head towards the speaker. A cheap one she had gotten on sale. She held her hand out to him. “Come on.”

He rolled his eyes but stepped forward. “Honestly. Ridiculous…” He muttered something under his breath.

“What was that?” She cocked her head at him, confused.

He blinked, suddenly awestruck by her brown eyes. He hadn’t realized that he had almost said ‘little pet’ aloud. “Nothing. What sort of dance is this?”

That answer was apparently good enough for her. “Modern music doesn’t have a particular style or steps. It’s anything you want it to be.” She took his hands and began to move. Loki struggled to keep up with her quick feet. She only slowed when the song changed over to the next.

“Please tell me this song is slower.” He listened to the melody, which was indeed slower. “Oh thank the Norns.” He felt the need to make his gratitude audible to them, since the fates never seemed to act in his favor.

This made Vivian smirk, concentrating on keeping her movements fluid. He softly swayed her back and forth. The lyrics went on about being happy when the singer’s love would listen to him. “For a song that keep singing about being overjoyed, this is rather depressing.”

“You complain too much.” She huffed, rolling her eyes as he dipped her. “Can’t you be happy with anything?”

He pulled her up, looking her dead in the eye. “Satisfaction’s not in my nature.”

She stared into his green ovals. The song changed. One she knew was about the idea of fading into oblivion and one lover being able to take the concept farther than the other. “Bloodlust is in mine.”

He scowled. “No it’s not. That’s what they injected you with.”

Her body went ridged. “That’s what I am now. Don’t tell me otherwise.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Changing forms doesn’t change who you are.”

Vivian let go of him, suddenly stepping back. “Really? How would you know that? I’m _dead_. I have to drink blood to _survive_. And I _like_ it. I _crave_ it. I don’t feel things the way I used to. I can’t even!- I can’t even…” Her voice wavered. “ _Love_.”

“Don’t give me that!” He was so frustrated with her. He knew better than anyone; his frost giant heritage didn’t mean he wasn’t an equal. Odin couldn’t see that. But why couldn’t she see she wasn’t a monster? “Don’t tell me you don’t care for any of them! Or anything!”

“I do.” She growled. “But I can’t honestly say I love anyone, not when I’d kill them because I couldn’t control myself! You can’t really love anyone when you’d kill them if you got too hungry!”

Loki ran a hand through his slick black hair, keeping his eyes tightly shut as she stormed off into the night. He was in love with a girl who couldn’t love.

That _would_ be his fate, wouldn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I can never keep songs out of my works, they are dancing to Oblivion and Overjoyed, both by Bastille.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERY big chapter today guys ;)

“Basically,” Natasha summarized to everyone in the meeting room. “Hydra is forming a force of vampires. What we got was a list of infected people, the procedure for each individual, and the formula for the serum.”

“And?” Vivian asked, hopeful.

“Well,” She reached over and squeezed the other woman’s shoulder. “There’s something in the reports about people turning into a vampire, back to human, and vampire again. In those cases they always end up becoming vampires, but it seems that they are injected several times.”

“So what,” Said Rodney. “Do they become human again after a second injection of the same thing?”

Nat and Nick shared a look. “We think so.” Replied Fury. “That seems to be the case.”

“Then they can recreate the formula and I can be cured!” She glanced over at Sam. “Right?”

“That’s where the problem comes in.” Fury tapped a few times on the screen behind him. “The key ingredient is something called Ichor. But we don’t quite know what that is. Yet. There’s no breakdown of its compounds, and they couldn’t seem to find anything like it in you. They think it’s either dissipated, or dissolved completely into you.”

“Ichor.” Vision echoed. “In Greek mythology, that is the name for the blood of the gods.”

Thor turned to his brother. “Loki, have you heard of anything like it?”

“Yes.” Loki said impassively, not daring to look into Vivian’s hopeful eyes. “I’ve traveled to a realm where the bodies of long dead Titians were harvested to sell on the black market. Spinal fluid and bone for example, which you can’t find anywhere else in large quantities. Blood too, but I’ve never heard of it having the effect of turning someone undead. The black market reaches far and wide, but even I don’t see how or why they would extend to here. These mortals probably just named their concoction after that myth.”

Vivian slumped down, pouting in a way that made Loki want to face plant against the table. “My shield was supposed to be made out of the only vibranium in the world.” Steve pointed out. “But it turned out to be more abundant then we thought.”

Nick nodded, on the same train of thought. “Already on it. We’re working on tracking the supplier through Hydra. In the mean time I have a mission for Romanoff, Maximoff, Verbeck, and Loki.” Loki quirked an eyebrow, curious as to why he was the only male. “There’s a lead on how they’re getting so many new recruits.”

“There’s a nightclub out in upstate New York. One we know top Hydra leaders just love. The people missing from the club correspond with the same people in the list of vampires.”

“You want us to go _clubbing_?” Drawled out Wanda. “You must be joking.”

“You’ve never been out to a club?” Vivian asked, tilting her head in such a way that made Loki have to look away. “But it’s fun.”

Wanda quirked an eyebrow. It was hard to see introverted Vivian partying until dawn. “How’d often you go?”

“Not much. A few times.” She scrunched her face up suddenly. “But there was this one time I got alcohol poisoning and I stopping going.” She remembered it, it was shortly after her Nan died and she had drunk herself into a stupor. That was not a fun hospital trip. Especially considering the fact that her friends were scared and dumped her off and she had no family to contact.

“Verbeck.” Fury said sternly. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“No. I can’t drink anything stronger than water now.”

“Good. This will be a sting operation, we’re trying to catch them in the act of recruiting.”

“And why,” Wanda waved her arms at the four of them. “Us?”

“Well one,” Answered Natasha. “Sexism. I can tell you first hand that no one suspects women. It’s why we make the best spies.” Her lip quirked upwards, proud of herself. “Second, it is considerably easier for women to get in than men.” Vivian nodded in agreement. “And having a telekinetic and vampire is a plus.”

Loki quirked an eyebrow. “And I am included in this exploit because?...”

Fury shot him a half annoyed look. “We need a smooth talker. Someone manipulative.” Loki fixed him with an icy glare but said nothing. “I’ll take that as a promise to behave. You don’t, then someone gets a time out. Now, let’s talk about how this will all go down.”

~~~

“Seriously. How do you wear those?”

Vivian glanced down at her shoes; black platforms that were at least four inches in height. “I’ve had a lot of practice.” She finished her eyes, the lids now a shade of sparkling carbon with a speck of white at the inner corner of each eye; a smoky eye. She dabbed on a dark shade of red lipstick and inspected her outfit once again.

Tight leather pants that would probably cut off even more circulation if she hadn’t already been undead. A black top that fanned out at the end, and a thin netting that covered the base of her neck down to where the thicker fabric dipped down. No sleeves. Gold earrings and bangles. More hidden knives and weapons then was strictly considered possible.

“Ready?” She looked over at Wanda and smiled.

“You look great!” Which was true, only Wanda could pull of that short red dress covered with black lace. She was drop dead gorgeous.

“Thanks!” She nudged Vivian slyly. “I’m sure Loki’s jaw will hit the ground when he sees you.”

She cocked her head, confused. “Thanks, but why would he care-”

Wanda waved her hand dismissively, still smirking. Being a mind reader was awesome. Despite the fact that Loki had regained part of his magic and now upheld a mind shield 24/7, she could still pick up on his otherwise concealed emotions. “Never mind. Come on, Natasha’s waiting on us.”

They entered the common room, the rest of the team waiting on them. Natasha was ready to go in an equally short purple dress, beautiful and loaded to the nines with deadly weapons. The trickster glanced at Vivian and found he couldn’t help but stare. Wanda bit her tongue, grinning as he couldn’t look away.

“What are you staring at?”

His eyes shot up to meet hers, ever so slightly sheepish. “In those shoes, you’re as tall as I am.” She looked at him now, scrutinizing. Yes, she could meet his gaze without inclining her head now but he still had a few inches on her.

“Come on.” Said Natasha. “Don’t want to keep the meter running.”

 

Entering the club was easy. They were barely given a passing glance. Loki smoothed out his grey casual suit. Not to his tastes, but it would do for the night. He let his eyes roam around the room, sizing the crowd. They had entered in two groups on Natasha’s order and he and Vivian had paired off on Wanda’s suggestion. Sneaky mind reader. To make matters worse, Vivian had hooked her arm around his.

“I don’t want any guys to hit on me.” She had said. Apparently that had been a problem of hers before, and Loki could understand why.

At least she had seemed to forget all traces of their argument, if that was even what it was. He couldn’t pin it down to forgiveness or sheer absentmindedness. Didn’t matter especially either way. Amid the chatting patrons, they passed the dance floor and made their way to the bar. The lights in the rest of the room were dim, save for the flashing lights above the floor. Vivian found she was fine if she didn’t look in that direction, though the loud music pounded harshly on her sensitive ear drums.

Loki ordered a drink and Vivian water. “Heart condition.” He had lied for her. Loitering there for a bit, he struck up a conversation with another customer who introduced himself as Tuck. Unbeknownst to that stranger of course, was that Loki had seen him before in a picture, along with a nicely typed document.

“Some of my buddies are waiting on me.” The man said, considering Loki. “You see, my pals and I are doing some business together. Investing. Maybe you’d be interested in it.”

Loki highly doubted that they were interested in the same thing, but oh was he right. Loki smiled at him. “I’d love to hear about it. I’ve been looking for some opportunities for mutual benefit.” Though not their goal, Hydra’s desperate need for money would definitely interest Shield.

They and their new ‘friend’ made their way over to a table in the corner, populated by rough looking but well off younger men. “This is Tom and…” He trailed off, looking at Vivian. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“Liz.” She answered smoothly.

“Liz. Now Tom here is looking for a solid investment.” He sat down, gesturing for them to take a seat.

Loki listened, half bored by the conversation and half invigorated. It had been a while since he had been able to manipulate anyone and he was fully ready to enjoy this, but the fact that it was something as mortal as an investing scam made the intricacies uninteresting and unenjoyable. Judging by Vivian’s half lidded eyes, she shared the consensus.

One, a blonde named Ray watched Vivian carefully. “I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

 _Yes, you probably have_. Vivian thought, though she couldn’t remember his scent from anywhere else. _I must look different, well cared for and not starving or covered in blood_. “Where?” She tilted her head, eyes innocent.

He blinked, shaking his head. “I don’t know. Here, let me get you a drink.” She was going to protest, but she knew casual small talk could lead to a slip up in Shield’s favor so she kept her mouth shut. “Here. Something easy.” He grinned down at her.

She smiled back, all teeth. She half hoped he would notice her strangely sharp canines. “Thank you. Now, what do you work in again?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Loki kept an eye on their small talk, tensing every time Vivian laughed along. But he was proud of the way she got him into talking about his ‘hobbies’. Playing dumb, she got him to go more into depth about where he thought drone technology was going.

Eventually though, she noticed careful looks from Tuck across the table. Not daring to look away from Ray, she realized she hadn’t sipped from her glass, or even pretended to. Which was suspicious. After a full minute, she picked up her drink and took a gulp. Tuck noticed, seemed to relax, and returned his attention back to Loki.

She smiled, trying to concentrate on the conversation at hand. Her stomach was doing somersaults and she felt nauseous. She hadn’t eaten anything in five years and had drunk only blood and small amounts of water in all that time. Vivian had once tried a bottle of flavored water. Not only was it revolting to her, but she had spent several hours hovering over a bin, feeling lower than a dog.

Loki put a hand on her shoulder, seeing her dip her head down and cradle her mouth with her hands. He shot her a chastening look, motioning for her to stand. “You’ll have to excuse her. She had a very low alcohol tolerance.” His eyes flicked to her worriedly, as she ran to the ladies room.

Pushing past the women in line, she made it to the stalls in the back, along with the others who couldn’t hold their whiskey. Shamefaced, Vivian stayed over the bowl until there wasn’t anything left in her stomach. One woman peeked in.

“Oh god is that blood?! Are you bleeding?”

“I’m fine.” Vivian managed to choke out. “I had… clam. That’s why it’s red.”

The woman stared at her, skeptical. “Are you on anything?”

Vivian sighed. She knew that with her creepy pale skin made her look like an addict. “I wish.” She shut her eyes, leaning her head back against the thin stall wall, listening to the sounds around her. Before, she always teared after throwing up. Involuntary; it was a reflex. It was often due to embarrassment. Her eyes always watered, at least. Now she couldn’t even dredge up that much.

She curled up, burying her head in her knees. The last time she had cried was at her Nan’s service. She hadn’t shed a tear when she was shoved in that van and or even when she was strapped down to that table and the needle was shoved in her arm. Nor before or after she began convulsing. Or when her teeth ached as they sharpened and her senses grew sharper, nostrils and throat burning, her muscles screaming as they tore themselves and healed over again, becoming stronger. When her head pounded, her brain rewiring itself.

Her heart stopped. She could never forget that feeling and could only scarcely remember how it felt when it beat faster. The click of that damn stopwatch. “Three minutes, forty seconds.” It took that long for her to become a monster.

“You okay?”

Vivian looked up, wanting it to be Wanda or Natasha, or both. Instead, a short pretty woman stood in their place. There was pity painted on her face, and a barely noticeable predatory gleam in her eyes. You’d have to be a predator to see it. Vivian saw it.

“Let me guess, 21st birthday?” Vivian nodded a little, aware that she hadn’t aged she had been turned. “You’ll build up a better tolerance eventually.” The woman’s eyes narrowed, taking the sight of her in. It always took a minute for the image of the vampire to fully sink in. “You in a bit of trouble?”

“Um.” Vivian thought for a minute. Something was off about this woman and mission related or not, it wouldn’t hurt to check this out. “Uh, yeah. I got kicked out of school… and I can’t go back home…” She buried her face back to her knees for effect. “It was my birthday so I decided to come here on my own.”

“Come on.” She beckoned, extending a hand to help Vivian up. “I think I know some people that can help.”

Instead of weaving through the crowds, they went through a little discreet door, unmarked. A rough, unshaven man with sharp darting eyes stood from where he had been reclining in an arm chair. It was a small-reception like parlor. Simple, modern. Three arm chairs and a couch.

“Chief. I’ve got someone here who could really use some help.” She patted Vivian on the shoulder, indicating for her to sit in the chair opposite him. She didn’t sit down though, choosing to instead lean against the door, arms crossed.

“Now.” He lounged back in the chair, comfortable. “Let’s get down to business.”

 

Across from Loki, Tuck leaned in. “How about we talk about this somewhere more private? Somewhere where it isn’t too loud.”

“Sure. After Liz gets back.” He looked over his shoulder. Vivian had been gone for a while. He caught the eye of Natasha, whose eyes flitted to him and back to laughing with the Hydra agent, leaning over her, a little too close for comfort. It was time to go. “I’d better go check on her.”

“No.” Said Ray. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Bang! Barely audible over the music. Six heads swiveled their heads around. Loki focused on the back door the Hydra agents were staring at, intent. If you weren’t alert, you wouldn’t have heard it. Across the room Wanda met his eyes. Bang! Another shot. Suddenly, Wanda raised her hands, eyes glowing. Loki twisted around, seeing two guns fly from their hands. He pulled out a knife; Natasha stun gunned her man. It went downhill from there.

 

“Normally when someone’s in here, I’m trying to recruit them.” Vivian furrowed her eyes, tensing. “I usually reach to my right pocket. Not my left. This is a special occasion.”

She saw a flash of metal and was up in an instant. One shot, miss. Her fangs in his throat. Gun waving wildly. Another, miss. He didn’t have a throat anymore. The assistant, apparently a very smart girl, wasn’t there either, slipping out and letting the door bang shut close after her. Angry, hungry, and teeth gnashing, Vivian fed.

After a few, long gulps the sounds of screaming pulled her head up. She pulled back, realizing what she had done. She blinked a few times. It had been months since she had fed directly from a human. All the way back to when they had found her. She supposed that she didn’t look too much different from then. Translucent skin, a mess of dark hair. A gaunt face and coal eyes. A growling monster with sharp teeth. Very, very hungry. Covered in the blood of a person she killed and kneeling over the body.

She let out a small sound; a dry cry with no tears. Whimpering, she pulled her hair back from her face and rubbed the blood from her lips. The sniveling got louder once she realized she had only smeared the blood further. Her hand fell and landed on the stained jacket. Vivian turned her gaze to it. Something else was in here.

As if they had a mind of their own, her fingers found a needle. A small unlabeled bottle with a milky green substance in it. Not particularly menacing. She ran her fingers over it, leaving red smudges. What had they said again? A vampire became human again after a second injection. She shot a guilty look at the door, looking back again to the objects in her hands.

No doubly, this was the serum. If Shield got this, they would want to study it. They would want to replicate it. That would take a while. Ichor couldn’t be something that was easy to come by. There was also the matter of spreading that rare resource with the other vampire in custody, or any other vampire they picked up. It would take a while to produce it. Maybe it wouldn’t even work. That was always a possibility. It would take a long time for her to become human again if she gave this to them now.

It would be very selfish to keep it.

Hands shaking, she held the bottle to the light. Not that she needed to, night vision and all. She had seen the doctor do this a million times. She took the needle, poked it through the thin layering of the top and extracted all of it. She knew was resilient to medicine and needed large doses for anything to have effect.

She felt around the arm for the area the nurses had always injected her through. Where the vain was. Vivian brought it to that spot. Carefully, she slid it into her skin. Didn’t even hurt. She pressed the serum in, hands no longer trembling. Her fingers were sure. Steady. She pulled it out, letting it fall from her hands.

Nothing at first. She didn’t feel any different. Seconds later and she clutched at her heart, beating erratically. Irregular, not steady. Fast. A blood rush to the head. Vivian’s eyes went wide in shock and she fell back.

Very selfish indeed.

 

Seeing a woman quietly slip from the door and run out, Loki moved, shoving patrons away none the gently. It took him several seconds to process the scene. Vivian laid back, knees under her, next to a dead body. He could tell she was still alive from the way she shook and jerked. He dove down, pulling her away and letting her legs lay straight. A small mewling sound escaped from her lips, pleading.

She seemed much smaller and frailer than he remembered. Blood splattered her mouth and dark clothing, only serving to make her skin all the more paler. He pushed her hair back, checking her pulse along her neck. Displeased, he placed his fingers against her heart. Yes, it was beating erratically.

“Vivian!” He shook her shoulder. Her head jerked back, eyes squeezing tighter shut. Tears appeared from them and dripped down her cheeks. She clutched his arm, hugging it close to her chest. He looked over her shoulder to call for Natasha and Wanda but they were already in the threshold. “Help, s-she’s-”

They both knelt beside her. Natasha began examining her. “What’s that?”

Despite losing the ability to use his right arm, Loki’s other arm was still long enough to reach over and pick up the items. His face grew dark, examining them. Wanda’s chest rose and fell rapidly. She reached over and touched Vivian’s temples which were now covered in a cold sweat.

“I’ve never felt anything like this. It’s like she’s dying,” She choked out the last word, reminded of her brother. Loki looked up at her, alarmed. “But’s she’s _not_. It’s like a-a-” Natasha quirked an eyebrow at her. “It’s feels like her body and mind are regressing. Or at least changing. Shifting. Back.”

“W-hat do you mean by that?” At first, she didn’t reply. “ _Wanda_. What did you mean by that?”

She didn’t have the chance to answer. Vivian tensed, jerking up into a sitting position. Her eyes flew open, gasping. Her free hand went to her heart. Loki supported her shoulders, quickly scanning her face. Her head fell against his shoulder, and she curled up alongside his chest.

“What happened?” Natasha asked calmly.

Vivian couldn’t be bothered to answer, engrossed by something else. She looked around, blinking. “Everything’s darker. And I can’t…” Her eyes went wide. “I-it-”

Loki’s voice was harsh. “What?”

“Worked.” Her hands reached up to her teeth. “They’re not extending, right?”

“They’re not.” Wanda said slowly. “They’re still sharp, but they’re not.”

“But I’m _trying_ to. My heart, it shouldn’t be beating this fast.”

Loki could feel it thump against him, fast. “…It’s steady now but it _was_ beating fast before.”

“Yeah, but it should be slow again. It’s usually slow, and it stops beating fast within seconds of doing anything that brings my pulse up.

“Vivian.” Natasha’s voice was crisp. “What was in this bottle?”

She looked the assassin in the eye, unapologetic. “The serum. I’m _human_ again.”


	16. Chapter 16

“You _used_ it?!” Fury yelled. At the moment, he was living up to the name.

From where she was sitting cross legged on the bed in the recovery ward, Vivian looked him straight in the eye, completely stoic and remorseless. An IV ran down to her arm, delivering nutrients and water. Evidently, a vampire that had consumed only blood for five years was left frail and malnourished when turned human again. “Yes.”

“Did you ever think of what would happen if it didn’t work?”

“Yeah.” She looked away, gritting her teeth. “Either I’d die, or stay undead.”

“And you couldn’t wait for us to at least study it?” She bit her tongue to keep herself from speaking. “We don’t have a cure for the other vampire in custody and the hundreds others on the loose because you ran out of _patience_?” Several minutes of a lecture/yelling session, Dr. Cho managed to convince Fury to leave Vivian to recover.

Cho turned to her. “What were you thinking? You could have died!”

Vivian glared back. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Complaining about the pain she was in right now despite the drugs in her system wouldn’t help her case any, so she didn’t even bother. But that didn’t make it hurt any less; her muscles ached, fast reflexes gone. Her nostrils straight up burned and her head pounded. Her teeth were the worst though; it felt like someone had hit her mouth with a sledgehammer.

Still, excitement fluttered in her stomach. Even though her skin was still pale, you could no longer see her blue veins through her skin. In fact, it looked a little rosier by the hour. She was surprised at the emotions that flooded through her, coming and going like flashes. Her feelings were amplified now; more complex. The best part of all however, was her new distain for blood. Not once in several hours had she hungered for it.

Steve burst in. She groaned aloud. “Were you trying to get killed?!”

Vivian rolled her eyes. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to lecture me too. Fury yelled at me for ten minutes straight.”

“For good reason!” Sam filed in after. She shot Sam a look.

“You too?”

“Vivian that wasn’t-”

“Yeah, I know it wasn’t! What’s done is done. Just let it go.”

“That’s all you have to say for yourself?” Steve’s jaw stiffened.

“Oh, I’m sorry that I don’t want to _eat_ anybody anymore. It’s hard to make good decisions when everyone you know and care about looks like a meal to you! I’ve been dead for five _years_. Half a decade of my life is _gone,_ most of it to being an _experimen_ t. I’m twenty six, I don’t have a college degree, any family, and the only friends I have are the ones I’m leeching off of!” She ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. Why couldn’t vampire Vivian have made any plans for the future? She would have lived like that forever.

Kicking off the sheets, Vivian untangled herself from the tubes and pulled out the IV before Dr. Cho could stop her. “Any you know what?” She continued, standing up and looking Steve square in the eye. “That was the best choice I’ve ever made. I don’t regret it at _all_. It was horrible, selfish, stupid, and _right_.” She stormed out of the room.

Vivian took one look at the team (minus Loki) lining the hallway, looked down at her feet, and brushed past them. Cho tried to follow, but was stopped by Wanda. “She really needs to be left alone right now.” She warned everybody.

~~~

Loki found Vivian several hours later, curled up in the balcony overlooking the training area. “What is all this?” Wrappers laid strewn about, shiny silver and all shades of the rainbow.

“I went out and bought some snacks. Don’t tell Dr. Cho. She’ll have my head.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “This isn’t healthy.” He had overheard her talking about her plan to hijack Vivian’s new diet, telling everyone that they had to make sure she kept to it.

She jiggled a box, making the contents rattle. “I’ll share.” He squeezed in beside her, wrappers crinkling. It was a tight fit and their sides pressed together. Loki held his breath, feeling her relax next to him.

He scrutinized the bag between them. “How much did you buy?” He reached in and looked at the receipt, frowning.

She shook her head and Loki found himself secretly pleased that she still had that little habit. “Shield won’t be happy with that either, but at this point I don’t really care.”

They sat in silence, both chewing at whatever weird candy she had bought. Vivian watched Loki closely, a confused look on her face. Loki wouldn’t look at her directly, but he noticed. “This tastes like plastic.” He spat, scowling.

She smiled, eyes roaming over his face. “I thought so too.”

“Honestly, Midgardians eat this? Disgusting.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Why’d you get this?”

“Well,” She shrugged. “I haven’t had any real food for five years so I got everything I was missing out on.”

There was a pause. “What are you going to do now?” Loki said, soft.

Her eyes jerked up to him suddenly, then away just as fast. She furrowed her eyebrows. When did Loki get so… handsome? And when did she feel so good being near him? She had noticed those things before but not like… this. “I-I don’t know. Fury might not let me be an Avenger anymore. Or even an agent, and right now, that’s all I know. I don’t even have an education.”

Loki’s face grew dark. “If that is so, then I shall no longer comply with any of this demands.”

“You’ll-” She looked at him strangely. “Stop being an Avenger?”

He shrugged. “If he does something as cruel as that, I see no reason to obey him.”

“Loki… Thanks.” She smiled a little before quickly frowning and clutching at her heart.

“What’s wrong?” He placed a hand on her arm, scanning her face.

“My heart is… beating really fast right now.” She managed to choke out, standing up abruptly.

“Be _careful_.” He chided, following her up. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” She paused, blinking wide eyed at him. “Yes, uh, yeah.” She waved her hand dismissively, not looking him in the eye. “I guess, uh, I’m still not used it to it.”

A small smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. “What do you mean by that?” He said, towering over her.

“Umm… Emotions I mean. They kind of… flare up at times when I’m not expecting it.”

“Do they,” He leaned in. “Linger? Are some feelings deeper than others? Do they carry over from before?”

Vivian sucked in a breath, speaking fast. “Well, I have the same feelings as I did before but they’re definitely stronger. And I react to them more, now.”

“Do you remember when we were dancing here? And I said that changing forms doesn’t change who you are?” She nodded quickly, noticing that his hand was sliding down to hold her palm. “You still care about the people around them. You said you couldn’t love them but you did, and still do.”

She looked him directly in the eye. “I guess you’re right.” Then she thought about something, and murmured to herself. “Changing forms… What was that form you had in the sewers?”

He gripped her palm tighter, surprised that she brought it up. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Vivian’s eyebrows furrowed as his grin faded. “I see. It’s fine, you don’t have to talk about it.”

“I still want to talk.” Suddenly, Loki was very, very close to her. His hand reached up to brush away a lock of her hair and stayed there on her cheek. “I like talking with _you._ ” There was something about the way he had put empathies on the last word. “I feel like we don’t get to do that enough.”

Vivian shut her eyes, tilting her chin up. Somehow, their foreheads were now touching. Quietly she whispered, “There are better things to do than talk.”

“VIVIAN! WE ARE GETTING WORRIED, WE WISH TO-oh.” Thor had never seen so much hate and anger concentrated in Loki’s eyes as he looked over Vivian’s head and glared at Thor. If looks could kill, well… Jane would miss him sorely. “I’m sorry, I see I’m interrupting-”

“No-no you weren’t!” Vivian pulled back from Loki, whose face fell, pitifully disappointed. “I was just thinking to myself, I should be heading back to my room. I’ll-I’ll see you guys later.” Vivian walked out like the devil was on her heels.

~~~

“Hey? Thor?” The god of Thunder stopped, letting Vivian catch up with him. She was tired, having worked out all day. She hadn’t needed to since she was a vampire, but Fury had given her one month to get in shape before she was assessed to see if she could be an agent, or less likely now, an Avenger. It was sad, but understood that now human again, she didn’t possess a special skill set, power, or strength that was required. But there was hope since she already had a crash course in the training new recruits received. At the very least, she would still work for Shield.

“Yes?” He really hoped this wasn’t about last night.

“Tell me about Loki.” Not a question. There was no hint of apprehension or fear in her voice. “A while back, he took on this form… he was out of magic and shouldn’t have been able to.”

“He wouldn’t want me to tell anyone.” He glanced down at her, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Especially you, I think.” Vivian winced. “I’ll tell you. My brother… he is adopted. We both didn’t know until late adulthood. It was hard on him.”

She crossed her arms. “But what does that have to do with that form?”

Thor looked both ways, making sure they were clear. “That is his true form. He is a Jotun, a frost giant. The frost giants and Asgardians have never been on good terms. They are the monsters in our fairytales. He was the son of the king, abandoned behind the throne as an infant in the aftermath of a battle. Our father found him and raised him as his own.” Thor hung his head. “He told us that we both were meant to be kings, but that wasn’t true.”

“Monsters?” Vivian gaped.

“Please don’t let this change your opinion of him-”

“No,” She waved him off. “No-no. Kind of the opposite actually. That clarifies a lot to me."


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, but I didn't have time to upload this earlier. However, you will be happy to know that this is an extra long chapter! Enjoy, and happy Halloween! Next chapter is the last!

Two weeks later, Vivian watched a jet speed down the runway, gaining altitude with every foot it traveled. Angled, it shot into the air carrying the entire team, Loki included. The second jet loaded with the rest of the fifteen or so special shield agents were leaving in an hour, who would be followed by even more agents. From her perch on the railing, she could even see them suiting up as Fury briefed them.

This was a mission like no other. They had found an isolated Hydra base centered around a warehouse complex. At first glance, it seemed like a small operation. But after the initial observations, it was discovered that they had a large supply of Ichor. Several tons of it. It was the lab that was creating the serum. And based on reports of found bodies in the area, it seemed that it was protected by an innumerable number of vampires.

Which was why Shield was dispatching their own special team and elite forces with one mission. Capture the supply or destroy it.

She made up her mind. Jumping down from the railing, she walked over where Fury was. The director stopped talking seeing her. “Anything you want to contribute to this conversation?”

She looked him in the eyes. Well, eye. “I’d be a valuable asset to the mission.”

“Asset?” Fury raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “You’d be a liability.”

“I’ve been on missions before.” She reminded him. “And I’ve been training for months.”

“Look, I’m not changing the deal. It takes months of training to be considered as a recruit. It takes _years_ to become an agent. I make exceptions in the case of Avengers, but you’re not an Enhanced anymore.”

Vivian fought the urge to roll her eyes. “I was a vampire for _five_ years. I don’t care what your scientists and experts say, I understand them the best. I know how they work. I know the extent of their abilities and limitations better than anyone else here.”

The leader stepped forward. “You think you know more about fighting than any agent here? These are the most ruthless, experienced agents that Shield has to offer. You’re not a vampire anymore, you’re not capable-”

“ _Capable_?” She interrupted, narrowing her dark eyes at him. “I have killed with my bare _teeth_. Armed Hydra and vampires. I have survived being shot, stabbed, and bitten more times than is strictly reasonable. Fully awake, I have been dissected. Multiple times. In a battle royal of thirty vampires, I was the only one who survived. Vampire or not, that was all me.” She thought about what Loki said. “Alive or undead, I’m still the same person.”

Fury stared at her a second longer, turning back to the leader. “Let her suit up. Don’t go easy on her.”

Vivian successfully fought the urge to smile, choosing instead to grab a vest and pull it on.

~~~

“So, any useful advice?” Vivian glanced over at the speaker. It was the leader, who she knew was called Luke. The other team members, mainly men but a good number of women, looked over at her from their seats on the plane. All of them were older and much bigger than her, scarred and rough looking. Intimidating.

She took a breath, keeping her face stoic. “Aim for the head or heart. Anywhere else won’t stop it, especially if it’s hungry or enraged. You could stab and shoot it several times and it won’t stop unless dead or knocked out.” When no one commented, she continued. “They can bite through bulletproof vests and they will go for an artery.”

“Really?” Someone said. “A bulletproof vest?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ve done it before. They can smell you and see in the dark as if it were light out. But it’s also their weakness. Their senses are very sensitive so flashbangs stun them most effectively. But you have to shoot it before it gets up or it will only get angrier.”

He considered her for a second. “Vampire turned vampire hunter, huh?”

She scoffed, checking her watch. “I guess you could say that.”

 

Silent, they crept over the hole they cut in the metal fence, working their way down along the sides of the warehouses towards their intended target. The Avengers had already broken through and were fighting the nest of vampires on the opposite side of the complex. If one looked up long enough, you could see Vision, Rodney, and Sam flying through the air and the occasional vampire thrown into the sky despite the darkness of the night. She felt no sympathy for the beasts. They had chosen this and she loathed them for it.

Reaching the doors, the agents made quick work of busting open the door, sliding it far enough over for them all to enter. Vivian glanced over her shoulder before shuffling inside. The lights inside were dim, but bright enough to see the expanse of the room. Lines of glass cylinders. Two feet taller than the average man. About two feet wide. Several levels of beeping metal racks inside, each level with a special indentations for tiny green tubes. And apparently stronger than Fort Knox.

Luke wiped his brow, glaring at the electronic lock. With a signal, he gestured over several agents, indicating that the rest should stand guard. Vivian wandered around, keeping her eyes sharp, listening closely. The leader worked quickly on one that was set a few yards away from the row of other cylinders. Vivian tensed, hearing the shifting of boots on concrete and the gripping of triggers. It was eerily silent. The sound of vampires on the hunt, she knew.

Barely a gasp was heard as a creature leapt from the shadows. Several from above from the hole for lifting cargo in the ceiling, landing deftly on the agents, some jumping off the cylinders. They were everywhere; a swarm of bloodthirsty beasts. All Vivian could hear were gunshots, hissing, and screams.

One slammed directly into her, knocking her off her feet. The vampire descended upon her. She whipped out her gun and lodged two bullets in its chest. With some effort, she rolled the body off of her and scanned the scene. The agents were scattered, some holding their own, some dead. She hopped up, ready to join the fight.

She eventually lost count of how many she killed. All that training were basic instincts now. She found that she could anticipate attacks without thinking about each movement. In some sick way, it was like a dance. She could match their movements. She knew how to direct their attacks, redirecting and using their force against them. But despite her training, Vivian relied on the knowledge of vampires she had acquired while being one and fighting them before. Which artery they would go for, how deep the knife had to go to get it to stop squirming.

But whatever her efforts were, the agents were tenfold that. Their kind of strength and speed was earned after years of training and experience. Vivian had nothing on them. This fact only sunk the reality in that much deeper. She would never become an Avenger again. She had known that all along, but it seemed more real now. Slicing a throat out, she shook that thought away for later.

Appearing the weakest (and definitely being the weakest), one vampire focused in on her. This one was different from the rest. He was much bigger, thicker. If Vivian had to call it, she would say this was the pack leader. He didn’t eat last. And he had more self-control than the others; he fought like a human.

Before she could blink, he had ripped the gun away from her hand. She shifted to a fighting stance, blocking with her left as he leapt forward. She winced as his teeth scraped her elbow. He stepped back, smiling. Dread settled in her stomach when she realized why he pulled back. He wanted to play with his prey.

He drove her away from everyone else. Vivian gritted her teeth, unable to stop him. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that grin off his face. She stepped onto staircase. From there, she could catch a glimpse of the scene below. Time slowed.

Luke was thrown like a rag doll against a cylinder. His neck jerked unnaturally, unmistakably snapped on impact. The animal threw all of its weight against the cylinder, catching his neck in its teeth before he could even slide to the floor. Luke had barely made the pillar wobble, but the scrawny vampire tipped it over in its desperation for blood. Inexplicably, Vivian could sense that something much worse was about to happen.

Glass shattered in pieces small enough to be sand and as large as a dagger and just as sharp. A plume of smoke preceded a swell of flame. A boom rattled her bones and scrambled her thoughts. She could feel the heat against her skin, making the air behind her feel all the more cooler and causing her to shiver. A scream caught in her throat as she was suddenly pinned to the metal stairs that dug painfully into her backside. The vampire in front of her had been blown clear off his feet into her.

Her nose was clogged with the smell of charred skin, singed hair, and blood as she struggled for breath under the dead weight. She could only taste smoke. Her ears rang with white noise. Her veins were filled more with adrenaline than blood now. A few seconds after the shockwave passed, the vampire struggled upwards.

Blue eyes grew sharp as the creature tightened its legs around hers; straddling her. Fangs fully extended, all the more white in the shadow of the dying fire behind him. He had completely lost control. Fast as a whip, his hand grasped and held her neck down, thumb on her windpipe. Her hands shot up to that wrist and she twisted.

He didn’t even budge. Her heart thudded. Only Bucky’s metal arm was resistant to that move; even Thor yielded somewhat to it. Vivian was suddenly aware of how small her lungs were. Her hands darted up to his shoulders. Her elbows locked in place and it took all her strength to hold him in place. He growled, easily grabbing her left arm, and pinned it above her head. Her shoulder protested and she knew that her wrist would be ringed in a thick bruise.

A small cry escaped her lips. He leaned in slowly, savoring the kill. Her other hand stretched down to her boot. She struggled to twist her foot up and around his leg, reaching as far as she possibility could, lungs begging for air as fingers moved just enough for the vampire to taste her flesh.

She found the knife, gripping it firmly. Steel in hand, she ran the blade along his ribs. She couldn’t remember which rib you were supposed to dig up under to find the heart nor did she have the time to count. Finding a part under his shoulders, she jammed the knife through his skin and into the vital organ.

He pulled back, hissing. He tumbled backwards, eyes growing wide. With a sickening thud, it was dead. Vivian gasped, gripping the railing. Bodies, both human and vampire were scattered around the shattered cylinder, still smoking. No ichor was in sight, burned away by the explosion. There was only raw, broken, skin buried in glass and stained in blood. Only she was breathing.

_They’re dead. They’re all dead._

A wave of nausea overtook her. From the fading adrenaline high or the sight, she couldn’t tell. She held it back, closing her eyes and choosing to concentrate on slowing her breathing. Her entire body shook. She balled her fists up to stop the trembling. It didn’t work.

 _I should be dead_.

Her body moved on its own. She crawled backwards up the stairs, now slick with the vampire’s dark blood.

 _I should be dead_.

Now Vivian was on the second floor. She curled into a shadow of a pillar, right next to the hole in the ceiling. She got a perfect view of below. Not that it was a nice view, littered with dead things. Across from her she could see another cylinder inches from the edge and some tables behind it but other than that there was nothing else in the expanse of the floor. It was unbearably empty.

Time passed by, slipping through her fingertips like sand. She had no idea how long she sat there. With every shutter it seemed as though she had always been there but with a quick glance down she felt like she would never leave.

This whole idea was stupid. She was in way over her head. She should be dead.

 _I should be dead_.

Why did she even do this in the first place? She recalled one of her Nan’s favorite phrases. Never make permanent decisions on temporary feelings. It never fully struck her that her choice of going on this mission could be a final one. But to be fair, that pull of loyalty had proved to be enduring.

It was the same with the feeling Loki gave her, though that felt more like a knife in her gut as of late. Ever since that almost-kiss he had been avoiding her at every opportunity. It was even worse than when he first arrived. Vivian wasn’t quite sure she would call it love, but that was more due to the fact that she refused to name it than anything else. She remembered another thing her Nan told her.

Love is a dangerous word.

The use of it in a phrase was the reason Vivian was here today and the lie behind it was the reason that her father was only biological.

“What happened here?”

Vivian stifled a sound of surprise.

“How’d it tip?”

“It had to have been a vampire. They’re the only ones strong enough.”

“I told them Ichor was extremely volatile! It’s their own fault their dead. At least the blast took care of those Shield agents too.”

Carefully, Vivian looked down at the people squabbling below. Two scientists, judging by their lab coats.

A tall woman glared at the equally stout man. She jabbed her finger at him. “Dead? Do you have any idea how much time was put into that many vampires? The cost of that alone is bad enough, but along with that Ichor? Practically priceless. We’re lucky that blast didn’t reach the other supply!”

“It doesn’t matter.” He rolled his eyes at her. “They’re dropping like flies out there anyway. We should have updated the formula by now. They’re still exactly like the first batch. If you’d let me tweak it then maybe they could regain some semblance of self-control.”

“You never listen to me! It’s the stupid volunteers you’re bringing in! They want it too much. They’re a waste of our time and reserves. The first batch-they wanted control. They would have been perfect if we hadn’t screwed up the blood supply. If we had implemented the same mind technology on them like on the winter solider-”

“We’re evacuating all non-combative personnel and supplies!” This was a second, much deeper voice and Vivian couldn’t see him. “Get on a ride or we’re leaving you.”

The woman spoke. “What about-”

“We’ll take care of that. I’ve got some of the demons on Ichor duty. Once that’s clear we’ll withdraw everyone else.”

“You’re really going to have those monsters move this stuff?” The man glared at him. “Look at what they did!”

There was a pause as he presumably studied the area and took it all in. “We leave now.”

Vivian let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding when the large door slammed shut behind them. Still shaky, she stood, using the pillar as a support. If vampires were coming she had to leave now. She didn’t trust the smell of dead humans to cover up the scent of an alive one. Her communicator had been ripped out at some point and obviously a message hadn’t reached the Avengers. Perhaps she could find one downstairs and meet up with them.

Crawling over to them for protection made her look defeated. A failure. She couldn’t decide if being the only one left alive looked good or not. She would appear as either lucky or the weak link responsible for the deaths of an entire squad of elite agents. She shivered at the thought.

_I should be dead too._

They would be here soon. She didn’t have time to sulk. She had to do something. Now.

Vivian straightened, looking up. Her eyes locked on the cylinder full of Ichor. The curse that had hung over her head for half a decade. Her gaze flickered down to the row of Ichor below. It was priceless. Maybe it was the only supply left in the world.

Spinning on her heel, she ran around the edge to it. Experimentally, she pushed at it. Even on a molecular level, she doubted she had budged it. She tried again, using all her strength. Same results. Huffing, she glared at it. It was true, only vampires were strong enough. This was hopeless.

For no real reason, Vivian twisted her head backwards. The table, cluttered with machines and tools. It looked like something Dr. Cho or Jane would work on. On a whim, she strode over there. She didn’t expect to find anything of use. Maybe whatever they used to cart the cylinder around, but judging by its solitude proximity to the edge it had taken all their efforts just to get it up here. In the darkness she felt along the stainless steel surface.

As if they had a mind of their own, her fingers found a needle. A small unlabeled bottle with a milky green substance in it. If she was surprised, Vivian didn’t show it. She looked some more. No, there were more needles but only one green bottle. She looked over her shoulder suddenly. Waiting for someone to stop her.

She was alone.

She didn’t need this to make the Avengers accept her. She didn’t need this to make Loki love her. They had seen two sides of her and they cared for her regardless. This wouldn’t help her become an agent or an Avenger. Shield would never quite trust her the same way ever again and she would never be recruited.

To put it in simple and ironic terms, being a vampire sucked. The sun sent you scrambling for darkness. Every light was too bright. You could only drink blood and small amounts of water. You only wanted blood. Friends looked like meals. Emotions, while still there, were primal. You were a creature of impulses and instinct. You looked dead. You felt dead. You were dead.

This seemed to be the only serum here. She needed it to destroy the only known reserve of Ichor. By demolishing it however, she ruined her only chance to turn human once again. Was she making a permanent decision based on temporary feelings?

Vivian wasn’t sure of anything. Her education, career, or love life. She thought about what the woman had said. These vampires wanted it too much. By turning herself, did that mean she would become just like them?

No. She didn’t want to become a vampire again. She wanted all vampires dead.

And that started with stopping the creation of more.

Vivian drew out the green substance with the needle and injected it into her arm. She slid to the floor. In three minutes and forty seconds she would die. She hoped the vampires wouldn’t find and kill her before then.

 

“Has anyone heard anything from the other team?” Though he was asking a good question, the sound of Roger’s voice in his ear annoyed Loki as it always did. He could clearly imagine the setting of the captain’s jaw at the collective no’s. “They’re not responding.”

Loki replied just to stop anyone else from talking. “Their mission requires stealth, ergo, silence. I’m nearest, I’ll go check on their progress.” He added before they could protest, “Romanoff is the only one other than me who is skillful enough, and she is quite busy at the moment.” He had made a mental note to himself: don’t piss Natasha off when she is in reach of a gun.

Frowning to himself, he fiddled with the cursed metal band around his wrists. They had loosed his leash a little bit more this time and allowed him more of his magic, but the leash was still very much there. He still couldn’t understand how Vivian had welcomed this. In the cover of the night, he made his way over. Easily slipping in, he cast the scene a disapproving look.

 _What a waste_ , he thought to himself. He turned his head and listened carefully. It sounded like a fight. One of the agents must still be alive. Silently, he snuck up the stairs, on full alert. He crouched down, peering up far enough to see the fight. He was not expecting to see a number of dark shapes all in motion.

One was singled off from the rest; it stood apart from the others since it was the one the rest were attacking. He couldn’t see its face, hidden by its mess of long thick hair and speed. It surged forward in short bursts of energy, only pausing to avoid teeth and to find its next target. It danced around them, flowing through patterns of defense and offense with ease. Definitely female judging by its lithe body; the closer Loki watched the more he could tell.

Vivian, he realized.

_Vivian?_

This wasn’t the version he had tried to kiss. This was the one he had met. The dead one with translucent skin and long canines. The vicious, relentless one who sunk her teeth into his arm and didn’t give up easily. He had come to understand that the two sides of her didn’t correlate to her status as either alive or dead, human or vampire. There was the gentle, loyal, guileless Vivian and the determined, stubborn, and sharp one. Both he had fallen in love with, but one was more dangerous than the other.

She stopped, panting for breath. The other vampires paused too, studying her for any openings. Loki knew that they should have all pounced on her by now but he knew what stopped them. Her dark challenging glare. He remembered staring into those predatory eyes. He could feel her fangs right now, burying into his flesh.

“Vivian.” His voice was low, and he had mouthed it more than said it. Still, her gaze flicked to him.

This was a Vivian he wasn’t familiar with. The realization struck him and he blinked, searching her eyes. Her head tilted at him, expression unreadable. Blood stained her mouth and dripped down the front of her tank. Her bare shoulders were braced and he could see the strength hiding in them.

Heads turned towards him. One leapt at him. He didn’t even have time to react; Vivian was already there, grasping at the vampire’s neck and throwing him down. His head hit the floor with a crack, stunning him momentarily before he scrambled to his feet. Loki stepped forward, knife in hand. In one fluid motion another throat was slashed. The vampires slunk back, hissing.

Five left. Three on the ground, dead.

Vivian darted from his side, catching one her grip. They hit the ground and her teeth found his neck. Loki simultaneously held off an attacking vampire with one arm and stabbed another in the back as it went for Vivian. She whipped around and finished that one off as Loki did the same. He watched her carefully as she straightened.

“What happened?” His voice was dangerously low.

She blinked up at him, mouth stained with blood. She gestured with her head and shrugged. “I needed to knock that over.”

“You-” He shut his eyes. “Did this to yourself?”

“Yes.”

“ _Why_? You wanted to be human so bad!”

She cocked her head curiously at him. “What I am or am not- does it bother you?”

“No!” He balled his fists. “That doesn’t matter- It’s not important. You wanted to be human again. You took the chance of death for it before, and now you did it to _yourself?_ Vivian, you could have died! Why did you come here in the first place?”

“Loki,” Vivian’s voice was much softer than his. “You guys were going off to fight and I couldn’t just do nothing. That’s just my nature.” Her words seemed to deflate him. “Those cylinders are filled with Ichor but they’re impossible to open and they explode on impact. That’s why everyone down there is dead. I was the only survivor. A vampire is strong enough to knock one over but a human isn’t so I found the serum-”

“Vivian.” He shook his head slowly, not meeting her eyes.

“It’s fine.” She shrugged. “The afterlife isn’t all that bad.”

“That was the only one you found, wasn’t it? You destroy that Ichor and you destroy your chances of ever becoming human again. Viv, I just want you to be happy with what you are.”

She smiled. “I am. Thank you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“You told me something-” She paused, hearing the shuffling of feet and feeling figures gliding across the concrete below. Loki understood. He turned so he was facing the stair and backed up.

“Go.” He whispered. “Knock it over. I’ll cover you.” She looked at him gratefully and turned to do so. Loki brought his hands up, blocking an array of gnashing teeth. Vivian braced her arms on the cylinder, sparing Loki a glance. Rolling her shoulders, she dug her heels into the ground and pushed.

Loki ducked and weaved, leaving the vampires dead or reeling. At one point he was caught up and thrown onto his back with a groan. He kicked the creature away and rolled to his feet, vaguely aware of the blood dripping from his temple. He knew it would only serve to drive them more into a frenzy. His blade searched and found flesh until there was only one shape left- and it darted past him.

He spun, seeing it lunge at Vivian just as the cylinder gave in and tipped dangerously over the edge. He sent a blast of magic, hitting it off balance. Her eyes shot open as the vampire clipped her shoulder and fell off the edge. Vivian tumbled to the floor, tucking her head down and curling inwards. Loki threw himself atop of her, wrapping his long arms around her shoulders. She tensed at the sudden presence, reaching up to brace his head.

Loki threw up a shield as the cylinder hit the ground and exploded.

They weren’t quite sure of anything for a few long moments except for the other’s tight grip. Vibrations rattled them to the core, making thinking impossible. Flame and shrapnel pelted off the ebbing green shield. The drop down to the first floor stole their breath away, the impact stunning them as more explosions went off and the roof came crashing down.

Loki struggled to maintain the covering, even minutes after the last blasts. Slowly, he let it shrink until he felt like the roof was stable. He relaxed, letting his breath mingle close to Vivian’s. She let herself loosen, closing her eyes and resting her head on Loki’s arm as her nose let his scent remind her of an evergreen forest.

“Are you okay?” He asked under his breath, trying to not let his heart seize up. She was very close, almost curled into him, and there was nowhere to escape.

In the dark, her head shot up. He could feel her eyes scan him and her nose twitch. “You’re bleeding.”

“It’s not mine. Are you okay?”

“I know what your blood smells like; it’s definitely yours.”

“Vivian.” He said stiffly. “Are you injured?”

She paused, thinking. “I’ve got a few scrapes and cuts but nothing too bad. My wrist and neck is bruised but it’ll heal.” Her face ghosted around his temple. “Is that your only injury?”

He frowned, bring his hands up to produce a glowing orb. “Yes. What happened?”

“I was choked.” She lifted her leg and kicked experimentally at the tin roof, only a thin sheet of metal inches from them. “This isn’t heavy.”

“ _Vivian_.” He breathed, running his hands down his face and leaving them to cover his eyes.

“What?” She pushed upwards. “I think I can move this.”

 

The team stared, their jaws dropping, as Loki and Vivian shuffled out of the wreckage.

“Why are you here?” Asked Sam, landing deftly beside Rodney. He looked Vivian up and down. “No, a better question is, what happened?”

Rodney stared at her blood soaked clothing. “Are you hurt?”

She glanced down. “It’s not mine.”

Wanda watched her, wide eyed. “Are you really...” She nodded.

“You’re a vampire.” Bucky blinked at her. “Again. How?”

Loki quickly explained. The team gaped, shocked. Loki glanced at her, patting her arm lightly. Vivian paused, removing her fingers from her mouth where she had been licking up blood. “A little soon for them.” He whispered lowly so only she could hear. He turned to the team and gestured vaguely. “Shall we continue with our task?”

“Are you up for it?” Steve asked, looking them both over. “You were just in an exploding building.”

Vivian shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“I think we’re okay.” Answered Loki, a ghost of a smile on his lips.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, early update! I hoped you like this as much as I've enjoyed writing it!

_Knock, knock_.

“Come in.”

Loki cracked the door open. Vivian shifted, putting her book down. He knew he would find her here since it was noon and she always retreated when the sun was at its highest point. Only her desk light was on; just enough for her to read by. She curled her feet in and sat up, giving him room to sit if he wished.

“How are you?” He shut the door softy and sat on the edge of the half-made bed.

“I’m fine.” She shrugged. “It’s easier than it was before.”

“That’s good.” He paused. “Back there, you thanked me for something. What was it?”

She blinked, before smiling a little and shutting her book and putting it aside. “You told me that changing forms doesn’t change who you are. And you were right.”

He searched her face carefully, committing it to memory. But it was more like he was reviewing what he already knew. “You _are_ still the same. As far as I can tell.” At this, she grinned. “Has it been hard?”

“Well,” The hardest part so far are the cravings.” She shook her head. “Old blood in a plastic bag just doesn’t taste as good.”

Loki leaned back, letting himself get comfortable. He smirked at her. “And what does good blood taste like?”

She sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned onto her fist. “Fresh. From the source. Hot. Rich.”

“Rich you say? What’s the best you’ve ever had?” He relaxed, ready to get lost in a conversation with her.

She smirked and narrowed her eyes mischievously at him. “Yours.” Without moving his head, he quirked an eyebrow up at her, making her laugh once, short and under her breath. “You could tell if I was lying.”

“I still remember that!” He tossed his head up, rubbing his arm close to his chest. He hid his grin behind his shoulder.

Vivian pouted suddenly. “I didn’t scar you did I?”

“No.” He leaned in. “But I should be the one asking you that.” His eyes fluttered down to her neck. “I’m glad I didn’t. Are the cravings-are they ever too bad?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” She promised.

“Vivian-” He said, suddenly serious. “If it were easier for you, you could always- drink my blood.”

Her face froze and she regarded him. “Loki,” She said, voice wavering. “Don’t make a proposition like that to me. I can’t-won’t be able to resist. I can’t say no.”

“I’m a god.” He reminded her. “My body regenerates at incredible speeds. A pint of blood is nothing to me.”

“Loki-” She reached out and gripped his hand, tight. “Don’t. It’s too much of a temptation and I don’t won’t to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” He said softly.

“But-” She grimaced suddenly. A short whine sounded in the back of her throat. “You’ve made me hungry.”

The trickster could see her protruding fangs now. “Its fine, Vivian.” He braced his hand on her shoulder and upturned her head to face him. “Really. I promise. I trust you.”

She whined again, not unlike a dog. “If you keep talking like that-”

Seeing the tears in her eyes and hearing her small voice, Loki leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. Vivian blinked in surprise, relaxing into it and returning the hug. They sat there for a few long moments. Loki murmured next to her ear. “I don’t like seeing you deprived.”

She gulped, feeling the warm skin of his neck against her cheek. “All I seem to do is take.”

“No.” He breathed, steeling his grip. “You give too. Go ahead.”

“Loki-”

_All I want is to feel your lips against my skin._

“Go ahead.”

His words made her crumble. Vivian extended her fangs fully now, running her tongue over them. She felt hungrier than she had ever been before. Loki held his breath. Her arms snaked up to his neck, brushing his chest on the way up. She found a spot. A vein where his shoulder and neck met; away from any main arteries. Loki flinched briefly, feeling two sharp pricks grazing just above his skin. No piercing the skin yet; she was tasting him.

Her fingers dug into his shirt. She liked what she tasted. The smell of him was intoxicating; overwhelming. She had to have more. Slowly, her mouth trailed upwards, ghosting along his neck. Loki gasped a little at the sensation. Her lips moved along his jaw line and found his and pressed against them.

She kissed him hungrily. After getting over the initial shock, he kissed her back, just as hard. They broke apart, sucking in air and looking into one another’s eyes. Vivian let her eyes flutter shut as Loki tilted his head and kissed her again, much more gently this time. She whined, kissing back harder.

“Why?” He asked, breaking apart again.

Vivian whimpered. “I wanted something that tasted better.”

Loki’s mouth quirked upwards in a very pleased manner, as she began to trail kisses along his shoulder. “This was more than I was hoping for.”

The vampire only growled in response. “Less talking.”

She could feel him smirk. “If you insist, my pet.”

“My pet?” Vivian cocked her head at him. “W-”

He kissed her suddenly, cutting her off before she could question him about his personal nickname for her and didn’t stop, both perfectly content to lose themselves in the euphoric feeling brought on by being close to one another.

~~~

Somehow, Loki found himself holding Vivian in his arms as he read and she watched TV. The book was lying in her lap so he had to wrap his arms around her to turn the pages and read by peering past her shoulder. She leaned on his chest and held his other arm close to her. He could tell by her almost non-existent breathing that she was drifting off. He sighed contently, wishing that this would never end.

“Viv-ha! I called it!” Loki glanced over to see a smug looking Rodney in the threshold of the common room. “I told you!”

“That’s ten bucks, Steven!” He recognized Bucky’s voice and the captain’s disappointed groan.

Thor came into his line of sight. “What did you lay claim of?” It took him several seconds to register the scene before a grin formed on his face and he gave his brother a look. The look.

“Not a word, Thor.” Loki turned away, his eyes burning a hole through the wall with the intensity of his glare. Vivian twisted around and smiled at him, just as smug as Rodney. He lifted an eyebrow. “ _What_?”

She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the forehead. “Your face is getting red.”

“It is _not_!”

Thor and Rodney spoke at the same time. “Yes it is.”

He whipped around and glared at them. “You two are not a part of this conversation.”

“Yes they are.” He cocked his head at her. She laughed and he sighed and leaned back, letting his eyes shut. He reached out and ran a thumb over her knuckles. Vivian laughed again and brought his hand to her lips. He felt her breath as she spoke. “Is there something you wanted?”

Rodney blinked. “Oh right. Sam got his butt kicked this guy who can shrink to the size of the ant so we’re going to have a team meeting.”

Loki and Vivian shared a look. They detangled themselves and stood, following Rodney out. Thor spared his brother one more humorous stare before turning around and walking out ahead of them. Loki rolled his eyes and threw an arm around Vivian, catching her unawares. She blinked and relaxed into it.

“Would you like to go somewhere afterwards?”

“Like where?”

He shrugged. “Anywhere.”

She thought for a moment. “I’d be on Shield’s credit.”

His lips quirked up into a mischievous grin. “Exactly.”

She shot him an equally devious smile. “Let’s get creative.”

“Oh, I have some places in mind.”

They continued on, ready for whatever was next.


End file.
